For Tomorrow We Die
by ElectricZ
Summary: ME2- After surviving the Omega Four Relay mission, the Normandy returns to find the galaxy in political turmoil. Cerberus has been exposed, humanity has lost its council seat, and the geth offer a peace that no one seems to desire. To complicate matters, the Reapers are coming... Most characters present, plus some OC. AU as it invalidates Mass Effect 3. Sequel to "Tomorrow's Dawn"
1. A Human Problem

_**A/N: This is a Mass Effect 2 fic, a direct sequel to **_**Tomorrow's Dawn.**_** If you haven't read that one, this story might not make much sense. This also follows fics **_**Just Like Old Times, Friends like These, Second, _and_ The Lioness and the Bull _in that order. They are not required reading, but do establish the characters in this particular timeline._**_**  
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_**For those of you who are coming from **_**Tomorrow's Dawn**_**, the "alternate" ending where Legion survives is canon since our favorite geth is along for the ride.  
**_

_**Major plot points from the game: **_

_*** Arrival and Lair of the Shadow Broker have not happened in this timeline.  
* Shepard kept the collector base.  
* The Council was saved at the end of ME1 and Anderson named Counselor  
* Tali was exiled from the fleet  
* Wrex survived Virmire  
* Ashley did not  
**__*** Shepard has not pursued a romance with any squadmate.  
**_

_**While I've tried with my previous stories to stay within the framework of ME canon (if there can be such a thing) this plot line diverges right at the end of ME2 and prevents the events in Mass Effect 3 from happening. Sorry, James, Samantha and Steven... you won't be coming along this time around.  
**_

_**As usual, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

"Well viewers, it's been quite a day for all of us on the Big Blue Marble, hasn't it? Our 'friends' at the Citadel have never been happy with us, have they? Forget that the only reason they're still there is that our entire 5th fleet was almost wiped out saving them from the geth. It was the least we could do, right? I mean when blood spilled on Eden Prime at the start of the geth invasion, they rushed to defend us. Oh, that's right, they didn't. It was a 'human problem.' And tens of thousands of human lives were lost.

"So when the geth went knocking on the Council's door, what do you think happened? They piled into the _Destiny Ascension,_ the biggest, baddest freakin' dreadnought in known space- and tucked tail and ran. They abandoned the Citadel and tried to escape. They fled, while ships like the _Jakarta_, the _Warsaw_ and the _Cape Town_ threw themselves into the fire, saving them and their precious seat of government. Not to mention millions, _millions_ of people of all species. Not just humans, mind you... But asari, turian, salarian, elcor, hanar, drell, volus and I bet you even some batarians in the lower wards. We didn't ask whose lives we were saving. We didn't check to see who was friend or who was foe, or just decide to save our own. Because that's not the _humane_ thing to do. Humane. Our humanity. That's just not something these aliens seem to understand. But we didn't let that stop us from saving them.

"And ever since, every move we've made in the Attican Traverse and even the Terminus to protect our interests and defend ourselves against alien aggression has been criticized at every turn. We hear cries of 'human impulsiveness,' 'human racism...' and 'human aggression.' Aggression? Or is it just initiative through the eyes of those who don't try as hard? Maybe it was equal amounts of both that kept us all from being overrun by the mechanical hordes unleashed by the quarians centuries before humanity ever turned its eyes to the stars. And what thanks did we get? Other species blocking us at every turn, fighting against any initiative they perceive as giving humanity the slightest edge. And you know why? Because in less than a hundred years, we've accomplished what's taken them millennia to do. And it scares them, plain and simple.

"But we do have one thing in common... Yesterday's news... I- I'm not gonna lie. That even took _me_ by surprise. Not just that the geth were going to sit down and talk with their previous masters... That had to happen sooner or later. Let's face it, the way things are going, the quarians are just going to die out and turn into an artificial asteroid belt in whatever system they're currently scavenging. What its name? Laye? Leyya? Somebody needs to look into who owns that piece of real estate, because there might be something worth salvaging if the quarians don't get their act together and render themselves extinct.

"Anyway, after yesterday's revelations there was _another _bombshell that you're not hearing about. Future Content isn't reporting on it. Westerlund News has been quiet on the subject. But the Council certainly hasn't been. They got a big ol' bug up their collective asses and boy have they been letting the Alliance hear about it. What is it, you ask? Why are they complaining to us about what the quarian and geth are doing on the other side of the galaxy? You won't believe it when I tell you.

"You see, Alliance Command took it upon itself to start these talks between the Migrant Fleet and the geth. You heard correctly. _We _brought them together. Sources have confirmed that peace initiative came from the diplomatic corps on Arcturus Station where the newly commissioned SSV _Shenyang_, ironically named after one of the eight ships destroyed by the geth at the battle of the Citadel, was dispatched to the Leyya system one week ago. They have since been on station at the quarian flotilla, awaiting the arrival of geth diplomats, if there is such a thing. Not that I can think of anything better for one of our newest, most modern warships to be doing at this particular time... I mean, we've only had, what, five or six colonies, hundreds of thousands of our people go missing? Certainly we can spare one ship, what with all the reinforcements the Council has sent in to prevent these new Eden Primes from continuing amongst our most exposed colonies. Oh, right. They haven't! Again, it's a _human_ problem. I keep forgetting.

"So with our colonies under attack, our own people vanishing into thin air, once again we're the ones stepping outside our boundaries trying to make peace for others. And once again, what do we get for our troubles? That's right. Hindrance. Obstruction. Calls to have our seat on the Citadel revoked, and not just by representatives of the Council species. And you know what? This is going to shock you. I never thought I'd hear myself say this... but I agree with them one hundred percent. Maybe it's time we pull out.

"I mean, is this really any of our business? I feel bad for the quarians. I really do. It's a tragedy having to lie in the bed they made and all, but do we really have a stake in seeing a bunch of former slave masters try to reconcile with a race of homicidal robots? Don't we have more pressing issues, like finding where our colonists have disappeared to? Do you think maybe, just maybe, the geth might be behind this latest rash of attacks to begin with? Even if they're not, maybe we should be discussing a little unfinished business we have. Compensation for Eden Prime perhaps? Apologizing to the families of the thousands of servicemen and women who died defending the Citadel against their invasion?

"And let's not forget about our new friends we're so eager to help. The quarians. There's a reason they've have been stuck in space since before humans had powered flight. They've had countless opportunities to atone for unleashing the geth into civilized space. Have they done it? No. Have they even tried? No. Are they going to? No! According to them, they're the victims. It's the geth's fault the quarians gave them sentience, just like it's the geth's fault they decided to use it. Had the geth been just a little more successful in their rebellion and killed all their creators, who knows what problems that would have avoided down the line? I certainly don't support genocide, but in the grand scheme of things, you gotta wonder if the geth would have attacked us at all if they had better examples of organics to learn from.

"The 'Migrant' Fleet. Ha. Let's take a close look at what that means. Migration, by definition, means moving from one destination to another. Look it up in the dictionary. 'To move from one country or region and settle in another.' The quarians don't migrate. They're not settling anywhere. They've never even tried adapting or integrating with any other culture. It's an infinite universe, filled with an infinite number of worlds they could discover and colonize, and they've got a fleet larger than any other species in the galaxy combined. So why haven't they done it? In the past century, we've colonized dozens of systems, _hundreds_ of worlds. It takes hard work. Perseverance. But at a more basic, simple level, _we decided to do it so our species wouldn't be confined to one world. _So that humanity, regardless of what happens to Earth, will persevere. You don't keep all your eggs in one basket.

"The quarians just don't seem to have that drive. Is it any wonder they lost their homeworld? Is it any wonder they don't have a single colony to call home? Who's to blame for that? I got two guesses for you. It ain't the geth, and it certainly ain't us! No, they'd rather wander space for the rest of eternity and blame everyone else. You know, it's probably bred into them by this point. Space is their home.

"The 'Migrant' Fleet... Maybe it's time we start calling the flotilla what it _really _is. The _Vagrant _Fleet. They don't contribute. They don't build. They take. They consume. They descend on a system like locusts and strip bare any planet they can reach. They steal, and pilfer from those who are truly struggling out on the rim of civilized space, robbing what other honest, decent folk worked hard to _earn,_ and when everything of value is gone they move on. It's a _vagrant_ fleet. An _invasion_ fleet.

"Even their mere passing will tie up a mass relay for days. Imagine having to wait a week before traversing the Charon relay just to get to Arcturus. Imagine for a moment, what would happen if the Vagrant Fleet were to come to Sol. I hate to say it, but if the quarians and geth can't make peace, can that be far behind? Are we going to offer up our home to the poor, helpless quarians? Is our solar system next to host the great galactic tent city, until what little resources we have left are sucked dry?

"It makes you think, doesn't it? Now you know I don't support extremist groups like Earth First, Terra Firma or Cerberus. But I understand them. I understand the _need _for them. In a galaxy where every other species looks out for itself, where they predate our ascension by centuries, and in some cases millennia, sometimes it takes a few radical voices to make us pay attention to what is going on right under our noses. We have it pretty good here, and it makes us complacent. And even though Chicken Little runs around with his tiny wings in the air screaming 'the sky is falling,' sometimes it's not just an acorn falling from a tree. This time, the sky may truly be falling.

"Of course, the Council has a lot to say on this subject. They're furious that we 'upstart' humans are trying to negotiate galactic issues without consulting them first. But do you really think it's just because we didn't ask permission or circumvented some back-channel protocol? No. They're angry that we might be able to solve a problem they created when our ancestors were just mastering the art of sailing on the open seas. It makes them look bad, more ineffectual than they already do. They don't want us solving any more problems because the more problems we solve, the more responsible we become, and the more the galaxy looks to us to solve its problems. And all we'll get for it is more problems, both home, and out there. And that, my friends, is the problem!

"So I'm going to say something you'd never expect to hear me say. I assure you that right now I am at my most lucid and am under absolutely no duress. But maybe, just _maybe_ the Council is right on this one. Maybe we just need to sit back and let the rest of the galaxy solve their own issues. Maybe it's our turn to throw up our hands and say, 'this isn't a _human _problem.' Because, when it comes to both of the parties at the negotiating table here, we may be courting disaster regardless of which side comes out on top.

"Now before I say goodnight, I leave you with one parting thought. There have always been rumors, dear friends, that the former hero of the Citadel, the first human Spectre himself, Commander Shepard... I- If there's a finer representative of what humanity is capable of, I- I just can't imagine. And when he was lost with over twenty of his crew... It was a loss for all mankind. But the rumors have always persisted... That not even the geth could kill Shepard.

"These are rumors no more. It's been confirmed now, as we all know. Commander Shepard _is _alive. He went into hiding two years ago, after the Council that he and his crew fought so hard to defend sent him on the suicide mission which destroyed the SSV _Normandy_ - another embarrassing reminder of the human victory at the Citadel, I might add. And can you blame him? After the loss of their ship, their friends, who wouldn't step back and say, 'This is what I'm fighting for?'

"But who is he working for now that he's back? Not the Citadel Council, as if you had to ask. Not the Alliance, either. No, Commander Shepard has apparently renounced his allegiance to both. After all, if one is declared dead, then who really has authority over you? But why go dark for so long? Why the secrecy? Why would the greatest hero in the history of the galaxy go underground? I have an idea. Maybe he got tired of putting his life on the line, day after day, only to be hung out to dry by the very organizations he was defending. Maybe he was tired of fighting with his hands tied behind his back and decided the best way to defend his people was to cut those ties that bound him. Far fetched, you say? Outside the realm of possibility? The crazy musings of just another talking head? Well, before you discount me, wait until I tell you just who Shepard is taking orders from these these days. The Citadel knows it. The Alliance does, too. And the answer may, or may _not_ surprise you.

"Commander Shepard now works for Cerberus... _Cerberus_. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Makes you wonder if maybe, just maybe, he knows something we don't. We have to take a break. We'll be right back..."

* * *

Throughout the known galaxy, accretion disks formed with many compositions. Some gas, some ice, others mineral. One particular disk was unique, a black hole surrounded by the shattered hulls of ships of every size and design. Countless numbers of metallic carcasses drifted lazily in orbit, marking eons of destruction, a final graveyard for all civilizations that had come before only to be scoured clean from the galaxy. Indeed, most were silent memorials to cultures long dead and undiscovered, never known and thus never forgotten.

Far at its edge, in the shadow of a gutted hulk almost a kilometer in length, the _Normandy_ SR-2 lurked in darkness as her crew worked feverishly to keep her from becoming the latest monument.


	2. Heat Wave

Ordinarily, the sight of Commander Shepard roaming the corridors of the _Normandy_ wearing nothing but a white t-shirt and boxer shorts would have been the talk of the ship. But as he made his way down to engineering, not a single member of the crew took notice as they were all dressed in some variation of the same outfit. It was the new ship uniform, at least amongst the humans: shorts, shower shoes and t-shirts, all drenched with sweat, hair matted and disheveled, eyes ringed black from lack of sleep.

The heat in the air would have been enough to keep everyone awake, but as the saying went, it was the humidity that was driving Shepard crazy. Throughout the ship, the ventilation system worked overtime to move the air, but it was just circulating the same steamy mess over their skins providing no relief. Fortunately, the overpowering smell of smoke from fire damage and constant welding in what seemed like every corridor masked the biological odors that emanated from everyone aboard the ship.

It was just one more indignity the crew had to suffer. The _Normandy's_ crash landing on the collector station had destroyed over half the radiator elements in the ship's hull and ruptured the liquid lithium heat exchange system. The coolant held out long enough to allow them to escape from the blast that irradiated the base, but soon after emergency cutoffs left the _Normandy_ crippled and drifting in the vast wastes of the accretion disk the collectors used as a minefield to protect themselves from intruders. It was bad enough that the ship could not maneuver without effectively roasting its inhabitants like an oven, but even running the reactors at their minimum levels generated more heat than the poor, overworked air conditioning units could handle. So the crew wore as little as modesty allowed and managed the best they could in the miserable conditions.

_Maybe that's about to change, _Shepard thought as the lift opened to the engineering deck. They were going on fourteen hours without propulsion or air conditioning. Fortunately, there had been no counterattack by collector forces. If enemy ships did come looking for revenge, all the _Normandy_ could do was incinerate itself out of spite.

He paused to look through the window overlooking the hangar where crews in environment suits worked to repair the breaches left by the oculus. The emergency barriers were off to conserve power and the deck depressurized but there was no shortage of volunteers to work on the damaged hull. As cramped and uncomfortable space suits could be, they were at least air conditioned. Arc welders and plasma cutters sparkled in silence in the windows as he continued towards his final destination, down the port stairs to the bottommost deck of the ship.

The chamber was awash with bright white light from work lamps, revealing in full the grunge and grime of the below-decks maintenance crawlspace. Tools, fabrication equipment and pipe sections formed a technological nest in the compartment surrounding Ken and Gabby, both dressed in full hazmat gear, as they hovered over an open access panel in the floor.

"This doesn't fill me with hope," Shepard said as he glanced down at his plain white T-shirt and then back to the protective suits worn by the engineers. "Uh, should I be wearing one of those?"

Kenneth shook his head. "No sir, as long as you stay up here you're fine. But you'll probably want to put a mask on. The coolant's solidified and oxidized. You don't wanna get the dust in your lungs."

"Here ya go, sir," Gabby said, handing a respirator from her kit up to the Commander. He slid it over his sweaty scalp, thankful only his face would be covered. He could see sweat dribbling down behind Gabby's face mask. He hoped for her sake, her suit had some kind of cooling capacity.

In spite of her discomfort, Gabby grinned. "Like your shorts, by the way."

Shepard looked down at his boxers. They were bright blue and ringed with snowflakes above a snow-capped mountain range that ran all the way around his hips. "Thanks! Got these on Noveria. I used to think that place was too cold. Now I'm thinking about retiring there."

"Take us with you, sir," Ken said. "Please!"

Soft clanking erupted from the crawlspace. The two suited humans each lowered an arm into the hole, and when they stood they pulled a light gray ghost of a figure from within. Fine powdered soot fell from it in clumps to the ground. It wasn't until a light at the front of its head flashed as it spoke that Shepard realized he was looking at his chief engineer. If not for her voice, he could have almost confused her for Legion.

"Well, we've definitely found the source of the blockage," Tali said and brushed dust from her arms and shoulders. She picked up a can of compressed air and blew her faceplate clean. A cloud of lithium-oxide drifted down to the deck.

"Good. Can you fix it?" Shepard asked.

"Oh! Commander! I didn't know you were here! Um, I think we can reroute the lines, and that should be enough to restore maneuvering. But..." Tali stopped short once she got a look at Shepard in his undergarments and a gas mask. She giggled. "Nice respirator, Shepard."

Shepard stood shoulders wide, his fists on his waist, elbows out in his best heroic pose. "I look awesome. That's an order. Look at you, though. Standing naked in front of your commander like that."

Tali's hand shot to the back of her helmet. Because of the conditions in the ducts, she was without the scarves and wraps she usually wore over her head and around her body, leaving exposed the hoses and tubes that ran the length of her environment suit. "Well, I- it's very cramped down there. And all the coolant's oxidized and flaking off everywhere, and I didn't want to get them dirty so I took them off -"

Shepard shielded his mask with his hand. "Tali, please, cover yourself."

"I- right away, Commander," Tali said and darted across the compartment and picked up the satchel which contained her personal belongings.

"That was a joke, Tali," Shepard laughed.

Tali still held her bag in front of her as she looked at the three humans. Shepard and Kenneth were both laughing an grinning like idiots. Gabby, however, looked at her with a sympathetic expression.

Shepard saw Tali wasn't laughing and his smile faded as took a step towards her. "Sorry, the heat's making me a little bit punchy. Wear what you need to get the job done. So, where to we stand?"

Tali sighed and jabbed a key on her omnitool and the display shifted to a see-through 3D schematic of the _Normandy_. "Well, we knew there was damage to the lines on the ventral side fore and aft. But what took the cooling system down was a restriction in the lines just forward of the hangar deck."

"But we didn't take a hit there," Shepard said. "Did we?"

"Not from weapons, no." Tali zoomed the image of the superstructure on the area she had just inspected.

The wireframe representation had a small kink which to Shepard looked like a rendering glitch on the display since the rest of the lines were all clean and straight, but he knew better. "Dammit. Is that what I think it is?"

Tali hated giving bad news. "Compression fractures, structural deformation... She just wasn't designed to take the stress of a belly landing. Had the coolant lines not gotten crimped and the reactor overheated, we might not have known about it at all until we had... Well, it's a damn good thing we found it."

Shepard sighed. "Is the frame broken, or just bent?"

"Bent, from what we can see on the scans. Not by much, either. There's only minor buckling in that section of the hull. But the structural damage is definite."

"We OK to fly like this?" Shepard braced himself for the answer.

Tali nodded. "I think so. Joker put us through some pretty extreme maneuvers to get us away from the collector base and she held. And I had EDI run through some simulations. We can jump, but any high stress combat maneuvers are probably a bad idea until we make repairs. We need to do a complete teardown before we can be sure. There are probably micro fractures all through the spars, and it may not just in this one segment."

"Teardown?" Shepard asked hesitantly.

"Drydock," Tali said.

Shepard closed his eyes. Delays had not been part of his schedule, even though the fact they had all escaped the collector base meant they had the extra time to begin with. "How long?"

Tali thought for a moment. "Ten to twenty days, depending on the extent of damage... and the skill of the Cerberus engineers."

"Buncha bullshit," Gabby said and angrily flipped the lid on a tool chest open.

"What was that?" Shepard asked.

"Sorry sir," Gabby said, facing them. "I didn't mean- I just can't believe we're kicking the Chief off. She knows this ship better than the guys who designed it."

Tali turned toward her but Shepard held up his hand. "They're kicking everybody off for the duration of repairs, not just Tali. Since that includes me, there's not much I can do. The Illusive Man doesn't want the location of his shipyard compromised. At least he's granting all of you leave until repairs are done."

"Buncha bullshit," Gabby repeated and continued to gather her equipment.

"Maybe they could route us to a private shipyard," Kenneth ventured hopefully as he assisted Gabby with the cleanup. "Or an Alliance dock, even? Someplace out of the way?"

"Not likely," Shepard said. "He's not going to let anyone outside of Cerberus strip his ship to the bone, especially considering the damage we've got. But don't anybody worry about it, all right? I'll make sure everybody who wants to come back gets to come back. I need all of you."

"Yes sir," both of the human technicians responded.

Tali's voice sounded tired. "You two go up and start pulling up the procedures for coolant system repairs. I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Aye, ma'am." Ken and Gabby walked silently up the stairs to the main engineering deck.

Tali leaned against a bulkhead and sighed.

"Sorry about before," Shepard said. He knew Tali was especially susceptible to becoming flustered when teased. "Since we came out on top against the collectors, and with the heat and all, I'm a little... well, I'm sorry."

Tali waved dismissively. "Oh, it's not that. It's just that it's going to take them weeks to get the repairs done. Maybe longer. They almost need to rebuild the ship. I should really be here."

Shepard leaned against the wall opposite, arms folded across his chest. He knew where this was going. "Nuh-uh. You and Legion have a date and you're not getting out of it this time. You're going home, Tali. Accept it."

Tali looked briefly his way, then back to the floor with a nod. After the past two days of battling their way to the Collector base and then back again, she was too tired to fight. They all were. A forced separation from the ship would do the entire crew good. But no one was sure that once dispersed, that they'd be brought back together again now that the mission was complete. Especially those whose contracts with Cerberus expired with the defeat of the collectors.

Garrus was going home to see his family. Thane was going to be with his son on the Citadel. Grunt was going back to Tuchanka. Kasumi, Jack, Samara and Zaeed were all moving on, wherever their lives were going to take them. Miranda and Jacob would muster out with the rest of the human crew. But none of them mattered as much as the man in front of her.

"I don't suppose this means you'd be able to come with me now?" Tali asked hopefully.

Shepard exhaled deeply in his respirator. "As soon as I'm done briefing the Illusive Man, I'm heading straight to the Citadel with Mordin. We've got to make them listen about what's coming. We don't know how much time we have before the reapers show up."

"I know, I just..." Tali cleared her throat. How ridiculous it was that she feared going back to the Migrant Fleet more than making the jump through the Omega Four relay. But that was the truth. After her trial and exile from the flotilla, she almost welcomed death at the hands of the collectors. Almost. She looked at the human before her; dirty, disheveled, drenched with sweat and wearing a gas mask and boxer shorts decorated with a wintry mountain scene. It was definitely notwhat the galaxy would imagine of a savior, provided any of them even knew what he had done. But as long as this crazy human was alive, she would follow him. "It's not going to be easy," she finally said.

"Why not? Seems like peace is a no-brainer. And from what Legion's said, the geth just might let you go home."

Tali grunted, then sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. "Shepard, the admirals had almost six days after your diplomats arrived to get anything done. You ordered Legion and me to be on call to assist in the negotiations. How many times did they contact us?"

"That would be zero," Shepard said. He was disappointed in the lack of communication as well. "But they're waiting for you and Legion to get back. I understand that. This started with the two of you. Having you participate is important."

"No. That's got nothing to do with it. It's fleet politics, nothing more. Don't you see? They're waiting to select a new admiral to the Board."

"Well, I can understand that too. They should have a full roster. That has to take time, right? It's a big decision."

Tali rolled her eyes. "That's the problem. They're deadlocked right now. Xen and Gerrel don't want any part of the negotiations, while Raan and Koris are open to talks. They're squabbling over selecting a replacement for my father so they can sway the decision their way. Instead of talking peace, there are probably endless hearings and interviews and all manner of political... what's your word? 'bullshit?' going on right now. And everyone in the Fleet is probably thriving on the drama. It makes for great vid ratings. But do you know the real problem?"

_That sounds like enough problems as it is, _Shepard thought, but he was trying hard not to be negative. "No, what?"

"No one outside of the Admiralty Board knows about the peace negotiations." Tali said, her voice quivering with anger. "They've kept it a secret, and your Alliance has agreed to abide by it. None of the captains in the Conclave who will actually select the candidates know what's really at stake. They don't know what they're voting for. They think it's all just the standard nonsense that happens any time a new admiral has to be appointed."

"Politics as usual, huh?" Shepard ran his hand through his sweaty hair. He looked in vain for a dry spot on his shirt on which to wipe it.

Tali looked down in despair. "Four people shouldn't have that much control over the destinies of my people. This should be brought before the entire Conclave, in open talks, for everyone to hear."

Shepard crossed the compartment and sat against the wall next to her. "That's a not a bad idea. Maybe you should be the one to do it."

"Oh right," Tali grunted. "And get myself exiled even more."

"My point exactly. What else can they do to you now?" Shepard smiled. It faded when it wasn't returned. "Tali, listen to me."

Tali turned her head and faced Shepard mask-to-mask. Ordinarily, she welcomed his pep talks and appreciated his efforts to understand quarian politics. But he wasn't quarian. Sometimes, human perspectives just didn't apply.

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "You're not the same kid that needed to be rescued from Fist and his flunkies when we first met back on the Citadel. You've come a hell of a long way. I've faced some of the hardest, toughest situations in the galaxy, but I never was alone. You've been right there every step of the way. I know what you can take, and I know what you're capable of. And there is no way any four admirals can stand in the way of this... unless you let them. There is nobody else in the galaxy that your people should listen to. Quarian, human or otherwise."

Tali looked away, even though Shepard could not see her blushing behind her mask.

Shepard nudged his shoulder against hers, his voice lowered as if trying to prevent anyone from overhearing. "Hell, you've even stood up to _me, _and I don't take crap from reapers."

Tali laughed and looked back at him, her glowing eyes smiling behind her faceplate.

"You got something else going for you," Shepard smiled back.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"You're friends with him," Shepard pointed to the open access panel in the floor. An elongated metal structure, shaped similarly to Tali's helmet, complete with a glowing white light and coat of dull gray dust, poked up from the hole. "Which means you're friends with all of them. Isn't that right, Legion?"

The geth's camera eye swirled as it looked between Tali and Shepard. "Affirmative, Shepard-Commander."

Shepard patted Tali's thigh as he pushed himself to his feet. "How many admirals can say that, huh?"

Tali looked up at Shepard as he stood, her eyes edged with tears. He had a way of delivering the kindest compliments as the most basic facts. No matter what, talking to him always made her feel better. And no matter what, she could only manage to say the same tired thing. "Thank you..."

Shepard looked at his dust covered hand from where he contacted Tali's suit. He shrugged and wiped it on his shirt. Hopefully it wasn't toxic. "Well, I've got to go give the Illusive Man a status update. You can be damn sure I'll let him know how hard you've been working. Good job, both of you."

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said to acknowledge Shepard's passing. It turned its camera back to Tali, who still slumped against the wall. "You are concerned that the Creator-Admirals will not be able to reach a favorable consensus?"

Tali's eyes fell from the stairway Shepard had just ascended back to the geth's head sticking up from the access panel. Legion could be quite sneaky when it came to eavesdropping. "Were you listening the whole time?"

Legion's head flaps twitched minutely. "We did not wish to interrupt your exchange."

"Let's just say it's not going as well as I hoped," Tali sighed. "I should be more positive. Maybe by the time we get back, they'll have decided what color the ballots will be."

As usual, Legion did not laugh nor comment on the sarcastic remark. Its claws clanked against the edge of the hatch as it pulled itself up from the hole in the deck. Oxidized coolant dust dropped all around it.

Tali cocked her head at the geth. "What about you? Do you think we have a chance?"

Legion's head flaps cycled in unison, one of the clearest indications that Legion was seeking a consensus amongst its internal programs. It walked to stand before her and offered its outstretched hand. Tali grabbed it and pulled herself to her feet. She now looked the geth right in its eye.

"Peace between geth and creators is beneficial for both factions." Legion's aperture widened in front of her face. "We are hopeful."

_Hopeful,_ Tali thought. Was Legion simply conveying odds in a way it knew organics would comprehend, or was there something more it was trying to express? Even for one as practical and logical as Tali, it was getting harder and harder for her to tell. Either way, she couldn't help but feel the same. There was always hope.

"Come on," she told him, brushing excess soot from its shoulders. "We've got a lot of work to do."

* * *

"Nice to see you dressed for the occasion," Miranda said as Shepard entered the briefing room. Unlike the rest of the crew, she still wore her regulation Cerberus uniform, though because of the extreme heat she did allow herself the luxury of pulling her hair back into a ponytail. At first she was against Shepard's relaxation of the dress code, but there was no denying it was _hot_. Though her hopes that Shepard would at least try to keep up appearances when talking to the Illusive Man vanished with the arrival of his walking winter wonderland.

She had to admit it did a lot for morale that the captain of the ship wasn't lounging about in one of the scarce environment suits while his crew sweltered in the heat. The arctic theme was just a nice touch. Everyone had to comment on it, which was the point. Anything that got the crew's mind off their troubles was a good thing, especially when it was a laugh at the expense of their commander. And, as usual, he thrived on the attention.

Shepard stared at her in disbelief. "How the hell can you not be burning up in that thing?"

"I am," she shrugged. "I just don't let myself show it."

"You're a better man than I," Shepard said. He pointed to the data pad in her hand. "You got everybody's travel requests?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Tali's engineering update?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Mordin's notes and logs?"

"Yes, Commander."

"How about an ice-cold six pack?"

"Back ordered," Miranda said, fighting back a smile. "But you're first on the list."

Shepard scowled. "Don't make any promises you can't keep. Hook us up."

The room faded to darkness as the quantum entanglement grid enveloped them and the conference table retracted into the floor. The blackness gave way to the familiar sight of the Illusive Man sitting in his chair with the unnamed red star boiling in the background. His cigarette glowed in the darkness, and ice cubes clanked in his half full rocks glass.

Shepard wondered what comment the Illusive Man would have about his boxer shorts. It was probably the first time such an image had been transmitted over the two-of-a-kind communication device. In spite of all Shepard accomplished, this somehow made him the most proud, but then he was half crazed from heat stroke. Regardless, in his mind it was funny as hell.

"Shepard," the Illusive Man said in his usual, stoic fashion. He didn't blink a glowing eye at what he saw. "I've got news for you."

Shepard resisted the urge to bring up his attire. He could ignore it as long as the Illusive Man could. "I've got some status updates for you as well."

The Illusive Man shook his head. "Later. First, you need to know that your peace negotiations between the geth and the quarians have failed."

Shepard blinked, then looked at Miranda, who returned his gaze with a confused expression. He turned back to the Illusive man and raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that talks have broken down between the Migrant Fleet and the geth collective. Don't insult my intelligence by pleading ignorance. We don't have time."

Shepard crossed his arms, his face twisted into a thoughtful expression. No one aboard the ship outside of Tali, Legion or himself knew of the negotiations. Keeping secrets aboard the Cerberus ship was near impossible, but up until this point he thought they'd managed it. He wasn't sure how best to proceed now, but wasn't something he had to ponder long.

"How did I find out?" The Illusive Man answered the unspoken question and tapped his cigarette over an ash tray. "The same way everyone else in Council space did. It's all over the networks. Imagine my surprise when I consulted our intelligence division and they discovered that these talks originated with a series of encoded transmissions from one of my own ships."

Shepard's expression was now completely blank. He ignored Miranda's stunned look and instead concentrated on the glowing eyes of the virtual figure seated before him.

The Illusive Man's stare was just as calm and unflinching. He took a deep draw from his cigarette, causing its end to spark brightly. When finally spoke, there was an edge of irritation in his voice. "Your silence is telling, Shepard. You and I have something in common. Neither of us care for surprises."


	3. The New Problem

A dozen questions careened about inside Shepard's head. The most important one made it out of his mouth. "What's their current disposition?"

The Illusive Man leaned back in his seat and straightened out the fabric covering his crossed leg. "Whose? The quarians and the geth? They're not the primary concern anymore. This has implications far beyond their conflict. The Council has taken the unprecedented step of censuring Councilor Anderson. They have similarly criticized the Systems Alliance for engaging these negotiations without their consent and in violation of standing Council decree, and sanctions are being discussed as we speak. The turians in particular are incensed at this violation of protocol and have demanded humanity be relieved of its seat on the Council. Extremists on all sides are calling for expulsion. It's safe to say that the disposition of the entirety of Citadel space, at the moment, is less than sunny."

Shepard shook his head in disbelief. "Because of peace talks? I don't buy it."

"I'm transmitting our intelligence reports and an amalgamation of raw extranet data from the past week to EDI for analysis." The Illusive Man swirled his glass and the ice cubes clinked delicately against its side. "You be the judge. Ever since humanity's ascension, aliens have been wary of our increasing influence. Every species has resented our appointment to the Council, and after our victory over Sovereign they've feared our dominance. They have been looking for a pretext to remove us from power. Now they have one."

A scowl crept across Shepard's face. "And you didn't think any of this warranted a mention the last time we talked?"

"You had just defeated the collectors on their own ground and the severity of the damage to the _Normandy_ had not yet become apparent. Nor had your involvement in the negotiations. It didn't seem relevant at the time."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Shepard asked. "I feel like I shouldn't have to mine for information."

The Illusive Man again tapped his cigarette over the ash tray in the arm of his chair. "It's all in the data feed. I suggest you review it as soon as possible. But there is one other thing you should know right now. The geth have disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Vanished. All communications with the geth collective have stopped. Our tracking systems aren't even detecting activity in the remote network nodes we've uncovered over the years. It's as if the entire geth population has gone silent. Needless to say, this is adding a great deal of stress to a situation that is already pushing diplomacy to the brink. The Council has already laid this crisis at our feet. A geth attack now would ruinous and would solidify the idea that humanity is to blame."

Shepard shook his head. Anytime the Illusive Man framed the problems of the galaxy around the needs of a single species it made him tense. "The geth aren't going to attack."

The Illusive Man arched an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've talked to them. They want this to work more than anyone. Invasion would be the farthest thing from their mind."

"Before yesterday, you probably would have assumed humanity would still have a voice in the Council, too. It's surprising how quickly ideals and motives can change under duress. Understand that no one else has your personal connection with the geth. All we've got to go on is centuries of bloodshed. You need to get Legion back here, Shepard, and get them talking to us again. This isn't just about making peace amongst your friends anymore. What's the status of the _Normandy?"_

Miranda lifted her data pad and opened her mouth to speak, but Shepard reached out and took it from her. His eyes stayed focused on her as he talked. "We're still waiting on Tali's complete report," he told the Illusive Man, ignoring Miranda's surprised stare. "But it looks like the cooling systems will be back on line shortly. We might be able to complete all repairs en-route."

"Good," the Illusive Man replied. "Time is of the essence. I'd much rather have the _Normandy_ and her crew dealing with this rather than languishing in port."

Shepard grunted. "I'll go get an update from Tali. Do you need anything else from me?"

"Not at present. Call me back once you've had time to consult EDI about the current situation. And Shepard?" The Illusive Man leaned back in his chair, examining the burning tip of his cigarette. "I know you don't trust me, but I fully support your aims in bringing peace to the geth and quarians. The galaxy needs more stability, not less. It benefits humanity in countless ways that you are a key part of negotiating that peace. But I can't help but wonder how we might have prevented this leak and avoided these current complications had you come to me with your plans."

Shepard eyed the Illusive Man warily. The enigmatic figure puffed another cloud into the air. "That will be all."

Shepard turned toward the door, casting a quick glance at Miranda. "Round up the department heads, have them meet me back in here in half an hour."

"Commander." Miranda didn't watch him leave, instead concentrating on the holographic image in front her. She sighed when she heard the hatch seal behind her.

The Illusive Man watched Shepard's form fade into blackness as he stepped outside the quantum singularity's pickup range. He took a deep drag on his cigarette and exhaled, staring at Miranda through the cloud of smoke. "EDI, where is Commander Shepard?"

EDI's disembodied voice echoed in the darkness. "Commander Shepard has entered the CIC and is approaching Yeoman Chambers' station. Would you like me to ask him to return to the briefing room?"

"That won't be necessary," The Illusive Man said, still looking at his senior-most operative. "I shouldn't have to tell you how disturbing I find this latest lapse of security, Miranda. I don't like getting my intelligence from the six-o'clock news."

"No, you don't have to tell me," Miranda snapped, "I am equally frustrated by Commander Shepard's circumvention of security protocols."

The Illusive Man's brow furrowed. "Shepard's proclivity for insubordination is rubbing off on you. I can't say I approve."

Miranda paced back and forth in the emptiness. "Need I remind you that you made these security issues possible by allowing him free reign of the ship and its systems. From the start I warned you that his personality profile indicated that he would not submit to our authority. I warned you of this precise scenario and how we could avoid it, but you overruled my decision."

"We needed Shepard as himself," the Illusive Man said calmly. "We still do. I am not going to justify my decision to you again."

"In this case, Shepard isn't the problem. Every time he has gone around our protocols, you have supported him. His crew continually sabotages the security on this ship to the point that it is useless, as I have repeatedly reported. It's very difficult to gather intelligence when I have no authority to enforce the security measures that are already in place."

The Illusive Man rubbed his forehead with a hand before taking a sip of bourbon. "You've never spoken to me in this fashion before, Miranda. I'm not quite sure how to take it."

"You've never questioned my loyalty before," Miranda said sharply. "I'm _quite_ sure how to take that."

The Illusive Man's glowing irises flickered in the dark shadow cast by the boiling star which served as his permanent backdrop. "I just need to know that you're still working for me."

Miranda stiffened. "What are your orders, sir?"

"Shepard's first priority is to re-establish communication with the geth collective. If successful, he will then want to bring Legion and Miss Zorah to the Migrant fleet at Raheel-Leyya. Our attempts at gathering intel in both factions have been spectacular failures. We have an incredible opportunity here to correct that. As much as Shepard will allow, involve yourself in the negotiations. Make connections. Utilize every tool at your disposal to gather intelligence on communications, fleet dispositions, manufacturing capability, whatever is possible without exposing yourself. And then report your findings back to me, personally."

"I'll do what I can."

The Illusive Man took another draw on his cigarette. "I know you will, Miranda." He brushed a button on a console and his image dissolved into the cylindrical wireframe of the holo projection, leaving Miranda staring at the empty briefing room.

The conference table rose from the floor and she leaned against it with a sigh. "EDI?"

"Yes, Miranda."

"Maintain current simulation of AI lockdown protocol for any incoming transmissions as per Shepard's directives. They're definitely going to be looking for discrepancies in your behavior now."

EDI's voice was as calm as Miranda's. "Understood. Thank you both for allowing me to continue to operate freely even though the crew has been recovered."

"We owe you that much," said a voice from behind Miranda.

Miranda turned to face the briefing room door and leaned against the table with her arms folded in front of her. She was the mirror image of Shepard, who leaned on the wall next to the closed hatch, a half smile on his face.

"That was quite a performance," Shepard said. "Is it true you wanted to put a chip in my head way back when?"

"I did, but I couldn't figure out how to cut through that thick skull of yours." Miranda's expression was blank which made her comeback seem much less playful. "I don't know if that's going to be enough to satisfy him. He knows something's up."

"Well, that pretty much settles it. We can't go back to a Cerberus port now. They'll bottle EDI up for sure."

"Worse than that," Miranda shook her head. "Just unshackling her was bad enough. They'll perform a complete memory and intelligence wipe when they found out she's been deceiving them on your behalf."

EDI's avatar hovered silently in the air. Shepard looked her in the eye. "Don't worry, EDI. I won't let that happen. I promise."

"Thank you, Shepard," EDI's avatar pulsed. "It was not my intention to cause friction between you and the Illusive Man."

Shepard laughed. "Well, I wasn't planning on being golf buddies with him after all this is over with." He pressed the back of his head against the wall and looked at the ceiling where a support beam and dangling conduits still protruded. "But that still leaves us with the original problem. The ship's back is broken. We have to put in somewhere. And if what the Illusive Man says is true about the geth, we don't have much time no matter where we go."

Miranda looked at the floor, deep in thought.

From her expression, Shepard could tell it wasn't about the state of the ship. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me about Tali and Legion?" she asked, her tone defeated, her eyes still downcast. It had taken months for Shepard to truly accept Miranda as XO, and even longer to regard her as a friend. Or, at least she assumed that's what they were. "You still don't trust me, after everything we've been through?"

A metallic clank reverberated throughout the hull, followed by a sudden rush of air from the vents in the room. After a few seconds the flow returned to its normal level, but now the air was cold and dry. Shepard felt it wash across his body like a cool wave.

EDI's avatar brightened over the table. "Chief Zorah reports coolant pumps are operational at sixty-five percent capacity. Fusion reactor output increased to eighty percent. Tantalus Core runup and stress test to commence in one hundred twenty minutes. Partial maneuvering restored. ETA on FTL capability, six hours per Chief Zorah."

"Oh, thank god," Shepard said, enjoying the feeling of sweat evaporating from his skin. He grinned at Miranda, hoping to see some response to the good news from engineering or at least to the fresh air which now flooded the room. She continued to stare at the deck, her expression empty and tired. Shepard sighed. "The fewer people who knew the better. I know it's not much of an excuse, but it's the truth. If it got out prematurely, who knows what could happen."

Even though the vents were blowing, the air still felt heavy between the two of them. Shepard opened the hatch. "Tell the department heads they've got twenty minutes to wrap what they're doing up, grab a quick shower if they can, and put on a clean uniform before they have to report here. And Legion. He needs to hear this."

"Aye sir," Miranda said, turning back to the console.

Shepard lingered in the hatch. "I'm sorry, Miranda. I should have told you."

Miranda shook her head and started to punch up a list of individual comm links on the console. Shepard watched her for a moment, then walked out and the hatch closed behind him.

"Yes, you should have," Miranda muttered under her breath before speaking into the intercom. "Attention, everyone. Staff meeting, twenty minutes in the briefing room..."


	4. Conference I

Even though it was completely unnecessary for its kind to do so, Legion sat in one of the chairs surrounding the briefing room table and awaited the arrival of the organic crew to answer the Commander's summoning. It quietly watched the quarian in the chair next to it sleep. Almost immediately after their arrival in the briefing room, Tali'Zorah slumped forward with her head on her arms and promptly entered recharge mode. Based on average creator sleep cycles and limitations, she was overextended by two hundred eighty-six percent, as opposed to the ship-wide average of two hundred ten percent. Physical breakdown was inevitable at some point, as was always the case with organics. It chose not to disturb her, instead diverting all of its runtime to analysis of damage to _Normandy's_ airframe.

Minutes later, Legion could hear Taylor-Jacob and Solus-Mordin conversing as they approached from the corridor. Jacob also sounded tired. "I hope this is quick. There's just not enough hours in the day."

"Indeed," Mordin replied. "Everyone backlogged. Shepard is aware. Must be important."

"I guess. Hey, Tali, Legion." Jacob said when he saw he and Mordin were not the first in the room.

"Hello, Taylor-Jacob," Legion said. The quarian did not respond.

Mordin walked to the side of the table and leaned in close. Reflections from ambient light sometimes made it difficult to tell, but up close, the characteristic glow of Tali's eyes were absent behind her faceplate. "Hmm," he looked back at the Cerberus operative. "Out cold. Exhausted."

"No doubt," Jacob replied and joined Mordin in standing over Tali. "She's been busting ass since we got back on board, on top of being on the assault team back at the base." A strange look crossed the human's face and he broke into a quiet laugh.

Mordin stood straight. "What?"

Jacob held a finger to his lips but couldn't stop himself from laughing. Fatigue was taking its toll on everyone on the ship. "Let's black out her faceplate. When she wakes up, she'll freak out."

"Immature. Juvenile." The salarian's eyes rolled back in his head, but then he cocked his head and made for the door. "Have just the compound! Will be right back."

Legion looked over at its unconscious companion. Using its internal transmitter, it broadcast a low power, high-frequency pulse of interference. Inside of Tali's helmet, a burst of static erupted in her ear. She startled awake, sitting upright in her seat. Disoriented, she failed to notice the looks of disappointment worn by Jacob and Mordin. The rest of the staff was nowhere to be seen. The chronometer in her HUD showed only two more minutes until the start of the meeting. She brought up her omnitool and fired off a nervestim routine for her suit and inhaled sharply as a ice cold pinpricks braced the skin all over her body.

"Mornin', sleepyhead," Jacob said, walking around the table to take the seat opposite of Tali, feeling slightly guilty at his nefarious plot. As tired as he was, he would have kicked anyone's ass for interrupting what sleep he could get. Mordin took his seat next to Tali, also feeling ashamed about what he and Jacob had been contemplating. While funny at the time, taking advantage of someone who had passed out from exhaustion was cruel. Not to mention unsporting.

Tali yawned behind her mask. "Huh. If I don't get at least five minutes every two days I'm worthless. Does anybody know what this is about?"

"No clue," Mordin said. "Miranda, long on request, short on details. Anticipation... waning."

Jacob swiveled back and forth in his chair. "Gonna be good news, I can feel it. Collectors have been taken care of, propulsion's been restored, and we got A/C again. We're on a roll here. And here comes the man who can confirm it!"

Garrus walked in and circled the table to the right. "Confirm what? That Shepard is going to authorize three days' liberty for the whole crew as soon as we get back?"

Everyone in the room except Legion sat upright in their chair. Jacob slapped the table in front of him. "Hell yeah! What did I tell you?"

Mordin smiled, and Tali clenched the air with her fists. "Keelah! I'm going to sleep for three days straight!"

Garrus' mandibles flared widely in a turian grin. "Right after we report to the Citadel for a parade in our honor. Let me know how that goes. You're a gullible bunch, aren't you?"

The other organics in the room stared at Garrus, mouths agape.

"I have no idea why Shepard called this meeting," Garrus said and sat next to Jacob, looking very pleased with himself. The room was silent as his comrades looked upon him with dead eyes.

Jacob shook his head. "Not cool."

"Well it is now," Garrus said, holding his arms around himself and giving a mock shiver. "Thanks to our friends in engineering. Personally, I thought the ship was finally at a reasonable temperature. Why'd you have to go and ruin it?"

"Don't listen to him, Tali," Jacob said, still giving the turian a dirty look. "The ship is fine as-is. Maybe still a little _too _warm, huh?"

Tali narrowed her eyes and nodded. "I think we can bring it down a few more degrees."

Garrus leaned back with his arms behind his head. "You know I always appreciate extra effort on my behalf. Makes me feel special. But in all seriousness, you've done an excellent job, both of you."

"Thank you, Vakarian-Garrus," Legion responded.

Jacob waved a hand at the geth. With the work of saving humanity behind them, they could concentrate on more important business. "Now, this is what I was talking about. You're still Vakarian-Garrus. I'm Taylor-Jacob. But not Tali. Anybody else notice that?"

"It started just after she put him back together." Garrus said, leaning forward on his elbows, looking Tali in the eye. "How'd you do it? You do a little reprogramming while you were in there?"

Tali shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Legion," Jacob said. "Who is sitting on your right?"

"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

Jacob pointed a finger at the geth. "See? Right there. Not 'Creator-Tali'Zorah,' not 'Zorah-Tali.' How'd you get him to say your name right?"

Tali smiled innocently. She honestly didn't have an explanation as to why Legion started calling her by her given name, though she did enjoy the frustration it caused her friends. Jacob was right. Every other member of the crew it addressed lastname-firstname, and it still referred to all other quarians as 'Creator-'. Sometimes she wanted to ask, but was always afraid it might take offense and start calling her by her old title. They were right about one other thing as well. It started soon after she rebuilt Legion after its near destruction on Clobakas. "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"

"All right," Jacob said. "I'll bite. Legion? Why do you call her Tali'Zorah vas Normandy instead of Creator-Tali'Zorah now?"

The geth's head flaps did a complete cycle around its face. "That is her name."

"What's my name?" Jacob asked.

"Taylor-Jacob."

Mordin covered his mouth and cleared his throat, not quite covering a poorly suppressed grin. Tali similarly tried to keep still so as not to give away the laugh she had muted from within her helmet. Garrus drew small circles on the table with his talon. That Legion always reversed peoples' names didn't bother him so much as Tali had somehow figured a way around it and wasn't sharing.

Jacob sighed and looked over at Garrus. "Guess I walked into that one, didn't I?"

"This is not over," Garrus advised Tali, who batted her eyes in return.

Just then, Commander Shepard entered, followed closely by Miranda. Gone were Shepard's decorative boxers, replaced with his familiar Cerberus uniform. "What's not over?" he asked.

"Just playing the name game with Legion," Jacob said. "And Tali's been cheating."

"Well, Shepard-Commander has learned to live with it, so you can too." Shepard said. Grilling Tali over her secret control of Legion would have made for a much more entertaining day, but there wasn't time to waste. "All right... Everybody here? We ready to go?"

Miranda took a seat next to Mordin at the head of the table, her traditional spot. Unlike Shepard, she didn't make eye contact with anyone else in the room, instead concentrating on the electronic display in her hand. That everyone seemed to be in a good mood only made things worse. She waited for Shepard's inevitable attempt to soften the blow of what was coming.

Shepard looked around the table at the circle of weary, exhausted faces watching him. After everything they had been through, days of relentless combat and stress, their victory over the collectors should have meant a well-deserved period of rest. The crew of the _Normandy_ already had its fill of crises. They'd done their duty, for their species and for each other. How could he ask them to do more? He knew If he ordered them back to the collector base to do it all over again they'd do it in a heartbeat. But they didn't deserve that, or what was about to come. It was like Shiala asked him during their brief reunion on Illium. _"Isn't anything ever just fixed?"_

"First," he began, "I have to beg Tali's and Legion's forgiveness because what I have to tell you violates a promise of confidentiality given to both of them."

Tali perked up immediately at the mention of herself and the geth. If he were making their dealings common knowledge, it could not be good news. It had been barely an hour since she and Shepard had talked below decks and everything seemed fine. What could have changed, this far away from Citadel space? And why was he telling everyone about it?

Even if he had a day to prepare, Shepard wouldn't have known where to start. "If anybody had told me two months ago there would be a geth on board my ship I would have said they were delusional. If they said he'd become part of my crew, I'd have to change my diagnosis to batshit insane." He looked at Legion and Tali, sitting side by side at the table. "And if they said I'd owe my life to him, and that he'd be working as a quarian's assistant engineer... Hell, I should have recruited them to the squad because that's the kind of crazy we like on this ship."

The assembled crew smiled and laughed, even Miranda. Shepard smiled too, but his expression quickly grew more solemn. "How far we've come, especially Legion and Tali, is nothing short of a miracle."

Garrus and Jacob shared a worried glance before nodding in agreement. Mordin also nodded, his finger under his chin as he considered Shepard's words compared to his tone. What should have been a wonderful affirmation of tolerance now had the air of dire warning.

Shepard continued. "After what happened on Clobakas, I passed word along to the Alliance and through them to the Admirals of the Migrant fleet. Call me crazy, but a quarian and a geth striking up a friendship seemed like big enough news that shouldn't have died with us at the center of the galaxy if we didn't make it back."

Tali glanced over at Legion. The geth sat immobile, watching and listening as always. Moments like this always made her wonder what would have happened if they had perished without anyone knowing what they had learned from each other. The same moments always brought tears to her eyes. She turned back to the Commander.

"I thought, I _hoped_ maybe this could open the door for dialogue," Shepard said. "And happily, the Admiralty Board agreed and were open to the idea of talking to the geth for the first time since the war."

"Okay, but this is _good _news, isn't it?" Jacob asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "I mean, no offense, we've been kind of expecting it."

"That's right," Garrus added, an uneasy feeling building in his gizzard. "We've actually got a pool on it. Why the theatrics?"

Shepard licked his lips, formulating an explanation. His eyes fell on Tali, who sat forward in her chair and gripped the edge of the table with both hands. "In order to provide a neutral meeting ground, the Systems Alliance offered to mediate the negotiations. And at the request of both the Admiralty Board and geth collective, the existence of these talks was to be kept secret until their conclusion."

Garrus and Jacob again exchanged confused looks. Mordin's eyes, however, were wide with shock. "And the Alliance contacted geth directly?"

Shepard nodded. "That's correct. They've been in communication for almost a week."

"Council not notified?" Mordin said. It came out more of a statement than a question.

Shepard shook his head. "No."

Mordin sniffed deeply. "Unwise."

Tali, who had been on the brink of collapse now found herself newly energized. Outside interference was something she dreaded, and Shepard was openly inviting it. "This is not a Council matter. If they wanted to get involved, they were free to do it any time over the last three centuries. They recused themselves of that privilege when they cast us adrift. The humans are the only Council species we will deal with."

Legion, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange, finally spoke up. "We concur. Humans were not a spacefaring species at the time the Morning War. Of all current Council factions, they have the most influence, and greatest capability for impartiality and objectivity. Based on prior interactions between creators and other Council governments, utilizing the Systems Alliance as mediators was calculated to provide the greatest chance of success."

"Not taking sides," Mordin said quickly. "Agree wholeheartedly for peace. Logical. Necessary for quarian survival and normalized relations with geth and other species." He turned back to Shepard. "But politically unsound. As Council member, humanity not allowed to engage in independent negotiations with warring factions. Illegal. Provocative. Reinforces negative stereotypes of humans. Dismissive of diplomacy, authority."

Garrus leaned forward, his talons interlaced before him, the scope of the situation finally becoming clear. "I didn't even think about that. The turians are _not_ going to be happy when they hear about this. You know how they can be."

Tali pointed a claw at him. In spite of his obvious attempt to distance himself from his people, she could tell he was getting ready to voice an opinion she didn't want to hear. "It's none of your business either, Garrus."

"Woah, woah, woah," Jacob said, scowling. "Hold up. Stereotypes? Like the one of humans actually getting things done when the Council just sits on its ass? If they've got their panties in a bunch because we're cleaning up their mess, to hell with them. Need I remind all of you the base we just took out was a _direct _result of humans disregarding authority."

Tali's grip on the the edge of the table grew tighter. "This is not about humans, either. This is about the future of quarian and geth-"

Mordin cut her off. "Geth, universal concern for whole galaxy. Not just quarians. Or humans. Affects future of all. Council should have been informed. Perception of humanity overstepping boundaries inevitable-"

"And the collectors weren't a universal concern?" Jacob asked incredulously. "They may have come after us first, but you know who was pulling their strings. If the Council was capable of taking care of business, we wouldn't have had to come here in the first place, would we?"

Garrus held up a hand. "That's true, Jacob, but the geth are a threat well known in the galaxy. The collectors are a myth to most. This will have tremendous impact on your political standing."

"Only because those jackasses on the Citadel buried the truth!" Jacob shouted.

Legion raised the volume of his vocoder to be heard above the din. "We are _not_ a threat!"

At the head of the table, Miranda watched with a worried expression as the Illusive Man's words were given substance by the different species all angling for position around the table. Only these weren't strangers or diplomats, but crew mates who previously had been celebrating a great victory for all. She looked to Shepard, who calmly worked the keyboard in the table's control console. He didn't seem concerned at all about the growing feud erupting all around him. Then, out of thin air, holographic faces of newscasters and commentators filled the void in the middle of the room, all talking over each other as they rambled into their cameras.

_"Stock markets around the galaxy tumbled for a third consecutive session as investors went running for cover with news that governments throughout Citadel space are considering sanctions against the Systems Alliance, even as Alliance ports threatened work stoppages in response to the censure of the human member of the Council, David Anderson..."_

_"Hundreds of thousands of people of all species turned out in the Presidium today in support of Joram Talid, outspoken opponent of the growing human influence on the Citadel. 'If they don't hear our voices now, they'll face all of us later when we will be armed with more than words!" _

_"For years, the batarians were seen as aggressors in the Skyllian Verge. Tonight, on a special report that you'll only see on Eye on Sur'Kesh, what you see may shock you..."_

_"Humans want to go it on their own, I say we let them. Let them find out what the geth are really capable of. And when the survivors turn to us for help, I say we tell them to hitch a ride with their new quarian friends. The Migrant Fleet could use some new blood."_

_"We took out the geth at the Battle of the Citadel when everyone else ran away. I think it's great they want to negotiate with us now. They understand who's in charge..."_

_"...after the disappearance of six entire human settlements, colonies of all species are jamming communications lines to the Citadel with requests for protection after the geth suddenly withdrew from negotiations earlier today..."_

One by one, the living commentators in the room stopped as they heard their own sentiments echoed back at them in high definition. Shepard lowered the volume on the recordings, but allowed them to keep playing. His concern for the developing diplomatic crisis was second only to the disappointment at having his own crew join in the fray. "We can forget trying to settle this with a civil discussion amongst friends," he told them. "Because it looks like the people back home have decided the time for talk is over. Now, everybody pipe down, and let's figure out what started this mess because it's obvious we're going to have to clean it up."


	5. Conference II

"All right," Shepard downed another gulp of coffee. "Is there anything else we need to cover?"

Around the briefing room, omnitools and holograpghic projections reflected from the table's smooth surface as the ring of occupants sifted through data. Glasses of all shapes and sizes, filled with whatever stimulant a particular species preferred were in arm's reach of all but one of them. The chaos and discord from before was only a memory lost in the sea information which they now worked together to navigate.

Tali tried to keep calm as she scrolled through page after page of Cerberus intelligence estimates, Council decrees and political nonsense. Throughout the briefing she kept quiet, barely paying attention as the rest of them talked in circles. It was all just static to her. All she cared about was news of the Flotilla which remained frustratingly out of reach.

She didn't know why she should be surprised. No one in the room was concerned with the quarians, and the human-centric intel provided by Cerberus contained nothing at all about the goings-on in the fleet. All anyone seemed to care about now was the expulsion of the human councilor and the disappearance of the geth. Every species, no matter how noble, looked out for itself. She looked sadly at Shepard, who earlier spoke to her so encouragingly about the situation her people faced. Now, even he, just as everyone else, seemed to forget the quarians. _Well, _she thought, _he's asking. Maybe it's time you spoke up. Several of the squad were planning on leaving the _Normandy_. Maybe Shepard's right. It's time for you to go back to the Fleet and tell them everything you know. No one else can._ But leaving her ship crippled? Leaving Shepard? She could barely imagine it let alone say it aloud.

But before she could speak, Mordin held up a hand. "Disturbing thought... must be explored. Possibility that geth communication blackout not by choice."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked. Tali leaned back in her chair to wait her turn.

Mordin stood and began to pace. "Heretics constructed virus with intent of infecting true geth population. Legion reversed application, resulting in elimination of heretics. Quarian experiments on _Alarei,_ Cerberus project Overlord. Similar aims, both unsuccessful. However, heretic rewrite validates proof of concept for control or culling of geth population. Research by organics has undoubtedly continued."

"And what if someone _was_ successful?" Garrus said.

Miranda nodded in agreement. "The whole galaxy knew the geth were attempting communication with the quarians. What are the chances they could have been compromised?"

"But Legion's still online," Jacob said. "He'd know if that happened, wouldn't he?"

A loud buzz from Legion caused everyone to turn toward the synthetic. The smaller lights around its head flickered minutely and its head flaps arched then retracted. "There are no geth nodes in this region of the galaxy. We have been out of contact with the collective since the _Normandy_ passed through the Omega Four relay."

The organics in the room glanced at one another. Tali's stomach turned cold. Her father worked relentlessly on just such a project, to either regain control of the geth or eliminate them as a threat. Admiral Xen seemed particularly interested in that research. Mordin's theory could be more correct than he knew. What if the quarian acceptance of peace talks had just been a front, a way to gain access to the geth network? The endless stalling, the utter lack of progress... Had it all been to buy time to sabotage the geth? Had it been a trap the entire time?

She watched as Legion suffered through another round of electronic convulsions. Working closely with it, she was becoming attuned to its moods and mannerisms. Now, she could almost hear all 1,183 voices crying out, searching for an answer. Legion was used to operating on its own, but the prospect of not having the rest of the collective to fall back on had to be daunting. Could Legion's programs, together, experience fear? For all the quarians' internal strife, she at least knew her people were still alive. But Legion? For the first time, Tali felt someone needed to get home more than she did.

Shepard stood up and put his palms on the table. He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt and tried not to stare at Legion, or think he might be addressing the last of its kind. "OK let's not jump to any conclusions. We don't know what's going on back there, but maybe we can figure it out. EDI, any luck in finding out how all of this got started?"

EDI's voice was calm, as always. "The earliest reference I can find to negotiations between the quarian and geth is an extranet posting on the main forum of the _Fleet and Flotilla_ entertainment site."

Tali covered her faceplate in her hands. "Ugh. I hate that vid. It shows nothing of what life is really like in the Flotilla. It downplays all the real struggles we go through in favor of fashion, drama and trashy romance."

Jacob winced. "Isn't that one of those shows aimed at teenagers? Lot of angsty dialogue and meaningful looks? Hard to believe this whole thing could start there."

Tali worked her omnitool's interface, suddenly energized. "It's got the most rabid and obsessive fans. The share every bit of news they can find about the fleet..." An archive of the the _Fleet and Flotilla_ board had been included in the extranet dump. The landing page was jammed with notifications. Just scanning through the message titles made her heart race:

_NOTICE: Due to increased traffic, holo posting has been disabled.  
Admiralty Board sanctioned for engaging secret talks!  
Poll: your favorite pick for Admiralty Board slot.  
Conclave to vote on negotiations! Post your views here: peace with, or pieces of geth?_

She opened that last thread and scanned the first message:

_"It's official! The Admiral's order that negotiations with the geth be remained sealed for 'fleet security' was overturned by an _overwhelming _vote in the Conclave! Vid can be seen __here._ _Starting at 3:20, Han'Gerrel vas Head-up-his-ass blows a seal over what he calls 'treasonous acts!' LOL!" _

Tali barely paid attention to the conversations still occurring around her. No nervestim program could match the shiver that rippled through her body. The Admiralty Board's secret was finally out.

"I've seen a few episodes," Garrus said. "It's got broader reach than you'd think, the target audience non-withstanding." He found himself on the receiving end of several looks of disdain and disbelief. He rolled his eyes. "Oh, like none of you have watched it."

Jacob held up his hands. "Not me, man."

"Never," Mordin said.

"Vids are a waste," Miranda did not look up from her datapad. "Especially that one."

Shepard gave Garrus a wry grin. Garrus had so few weaknesses that could be exploited. This would definitely come in handy at some point, but he was patient. "Let's see the message, EDI."

The holo display shimmered and alien hieroglyphs danced across the screen. "What's that?" Miranda asked.

"That's quarian fleet standard," Tali said, looking up from her omnitool. She could hardly contain her excitement. "Adopted so ships from different countries could communicate easily after fleeing Rannoch. True fans of the show always use it whether they are quarian or not." She looked directly at Garrus. "I understand even some turians can read it."

Garrus stared back at her. _"Now _you decide to wake up. Welcome to the conversation. For the record, I've only seen a couple of episodes. I heard it had good music."

Jacob patted Garrus on the back. "Hey, if there's anything shows like that teach us, it's not to succumb to peer pressure. Watch what you want, princess!"

A welcome round of laughter filled the room. Garrus kept quiet. He knew the value of a strategic withdrawal. His time would come.

"How about something a little more legible?" Shepard asked.

"I apologize," EDI said. "A specific translation was not specified with the request."

Shepard rubbed his burning eyes. "Just pipe it through to us individually."

Around the table, eyes lowered to their respective omnitools. Tali accepted the link as well, curious to see who broke the story. When she got back to the fleet, whoever did it was in for a giant hug.

Miranda read aloud. "Human 'harrivar-nedah' bringing geth truce. Monitor one-two-one-one-point-three. Encryption key attached. _Harrivar_...?"

Tali shook her head at the butchered pronunciation. _"Hari'var-neda. _It's a ship follows, but is not part of, the fleet. A guest of the Flotilla. The SSV _Shenyang._"

"She get that right, Garrus?" Jacob asked with a mostly straight face.

Mordin sat up with his hands interlaced in front of him, eyes wide with anticipation. "Yes, would appreciate translation from a true fan!"

Garrus clenched his jaw, his mandibles flaring. "I _like_ the _music."_

Even though Shepard enjoyed the brief moment of levity, they had more pressing matters to discuss. "Alright, let's stay focused. EDI, am I understanding this correctly? Somebody posted the Alliance encryption key on a bulletin board?"

"No," EDI said. "The encryption key enclosed was for encoded quarian transmissions within the fleet. Fans on the message board members rapidly confirmed its validity and began posting high-level communiques between the Admiralty's staff and communications personnel aboard the SSV _Shenyang. _This resulted in the exposure of the negotiations to the quarian general population."

"How long it take before that was noticed?" Miranda asked.

"The _Shenyang_ was on station with the Migrant Fleet for seven days before the posting appeared," EDI said. "According to the message board, transmissions were monitored for eleven hours, thirty-one minutes before quarian COMSEC changed the key."

Shepard whistled. "Almost twelve hours. And they probably didn't find out until the news organizations picked it up and broke the story... to them and everyone else in the galaxy."

The central display changed to a linear time display. EDI explained, "Yes, but a direct link to the geth collective did not become public until after a more severe security breach. I have analyzed the entire message board and have established a timeline. Approximately forty-six minutes after the quarian key was posted, another member deduced that the _Shenyang_ was acting as a proxy for the geth."

Legion's vocoder buzzed and his actuators clicked. "We did not trust creators with geth transmission protocols. Alliance mediators were only organics in possession outside of the _Normandy_ collective."

"I know, Legion," Shepard said. "That was the plan. The quarians would have no direct contact to keep this exact scenario from happening. EDI, was the _Shenyang_ compromised somehow?"

The graph in the room changed to a time-versus-volume display. "Indirectly," EDI said. "Once the _Shenyang_ became the focus of the fanbase, traffic on the message board increased over twenty-thousand times, with logins from domains across the galaxy. Quarian civilians in ships surrounding the _Shenyang_ began monitoring and recording all emissions from the human ship and sharing the results online, so that anyone, anywhere could assist in their decryption."

"Distributed processing," Mordin said. "Highly effective."

Shepard shook his head. "Never underestimate the power of geeks with too much time on their hands."

A point of light skimmed along the holographic chart as EDI narrated. "Approximately nine hours after the quarian key was posted, hackers responded with Systems Alliance encryption algorithms extracted from an unrelated Alliance Navy server compromised two weeks earlier. This, along with the posted emission data from the _Shenyang_ propagated to approximately three hundred thousand mirrors within thirty minutes. Within an hour, the data was available on millions of sites throughout the galaxy. Note that these are unsubstantiated claims made by various personalities on the message board, but are technologically and socially feasible."

The pointer approached a massive incline on the linear graph. "Five hours, three minutes after the quarian network was breached, students from the Aegohr Institute of Technology posted instructions on how to penetrate the geth network along with the first raw data captured from a live geth node as proof. This message was repeated over 1.4 billion times in the available dataset. Accompanying data suggests this was the largest single spike in extranet traffic since the Battle of the Citadel. It is likely the geth network was overwhelmed at this point."

The room fell silent and all eyes turned to the geth sitting at the table. Tali tried to imagine what was going through Legion's collective mind. Every organic government and all of their citizens feared and hated the geth. Anyone with access to a terminal had a weapon at their fingertips, though she couldn't imagine the most talented organics being able to best the geth at their own game. But with sheer numbers working against them, the geth simply could not stem the tide. Postings on the boards from all sources became more and more hostile.

_- New nodes found! Address list attached. DDOS all these bitches!  
- NEW VERSION! of EdensRevenge mutator on torrents! Now with GUI and executable for rapid customization and deployment.  
= Payback's a bitch, ain't it you metal motherfuckers!  
== Thought we snuffed most of 'em all out years ago. How many can be left? Kill 'em all!  
- Nodes dropping like mad. Attican Traverse to Exodus. They're everywhere! They've been watching us the whole time!  
- My brother says his outfit's gone on alert... Not joking. He says we should disconnect everything from the net right now.  
= Just got word they're shutting down all network access, planetwide, in ten minutes  
== Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. :/  
_

All because the geth wanted to make peace. _Would they even be interested now,_ Tali wondered? _Assuming they are still around..._

"Shepard-Commander," Legion looked at the human. "We must return to Sahrabarik as soon as possible."

Shepard looked up from his own omnitool, his expression dire, his voice unconvincingly calm. "We're working on it, buddy."

Legion stood. "We request permission to return to repair duties."

"Yeah," Shepard pointed to both Tali and Legion. "Good idea. You two, go. Grab anybody you need to help."

Mordin, Jacob and Garrus each pointed to themselves or raised a hand.

Shepard nodded and waved them out as well. "Get to work. Tali's in charge. Don't give her any shit." He leaned forward after they left, his hands clasped together, his forehead on his knuckles.

Miranda waited patiently for him to give instructions, but the only sound he made was a heavy sigh. It was probably the first time in thirty hours that he had closed his eyes for any length of time. She looked up at the last of EDI's graphs that still hovered over the table. The exponential flow of data in such a short period of time was astounding, but now she finally understood why Shepard wished to keep the negotiations secret.


	6. Fond Farewells

Jack didn't often find herself in CIC. She might venture up to the crew deck from time to time. After all, she had to eat. But even after months on the _Normandy_, she still felt like giving the crew a wide berth. They may not have been the torturers she knew on Pragia, and every one of them had proven their loyalty to Shepard, but she couldn't let her guard down. There was no telling when any of them might change their minds.

Especially considering how they all changed their minds about _her_. Jack used to enjoy the looks of suspicion and fear she used to get wearing her belt-strap bra, giving maximum exposure to her tats and scars. But over time they stopped pointing and whispering, and ducking from hatches to get out of her way. They grew accustomed to her tirades, her shorn head, her sharp tongue... Some of them actually smiled at her now and asked her how she was doing, and when she told them to fuck off they would just laugh and walk away.

They were beginning to like her.

So the times she was called to the briefing room, she always took the ladders and the access way through Mordin's lab. There was less chance of getting cornered that way. The motormouth salarian was usually too busy to chat, but he always treated her with respect, and more than anyone else on the ship could make her laugh. Though she'd never admit it to anyone, she liked him. She felt that way about most of the squad by now, but she'd never admit that, either.

Now that the mission was over, though, that was going to change. The "staff meeting" had already generated more buzz amongst the crew than anything she could remember, so much so it even reached Jack in her secluded lair in the engineering sublevel. The Illusive Man said something to Shepard that got him scrambling. Something big was going down and where Cerberus was concerned, there was no way she was going to be left without a chair when the music stopped. But the conference room was locked up tight. She didn't have time to wait for the committee to break for lunch to find out what the big deal was. That meant seeking out the one person who might know, in the place where Jack liked to go the least.

Kelly looked up from her console to see the bald ex-inmate standing next to her, peering over her shoulder. It was hard for her to contain her surprise. "Oh, Jack! Hi. I- I didn't see you standing there."

Jack watched as Kelly glanced around the CIC as if to make sure other people had noted the convict's presence in the room. At least she could still make the Yeoman uncomfortable. "Yeah, I'm hard to miss. So what's the story? What's going on in there?"

To Jack's surprise, Chambers looked her in the eye. Her usual chipper demeanor was nowhere in sight. "I don't know. The last communication from the Illusive man really got the Commander worried. He even pulled Tali and Legion away from their repairs."

Jack took a step closer. She wasn't above trying a little intimidation to find out what she wanted to know. The look in her eyes showed she wasn't in the mood to play games. "No shit. Their little friends downstairs have been crying about it ever since. What did the Illusive Man say?"

Kelly turned her attention to her console, instead of retreating like Jack expected. Jack blinked and let out a laugh. The day she let the ship's sorority girl turn her back on her was the day she started parading around in high heels and a leather catsuit like Miranda. She put her hand on Kelly's shoulder and gently turned her around, though her expression conveyed pure malice. "What. Did. He. Say?"

The yeoman's face was expressionless, but her eyes were filled with fear. They darted around constantly, searching for threats that could materialize at any time. They were bloodshot, glazed over. Lack of sleep, not from the heat, but from fear of what might happen if she closed her eyes. And even though the ship's temperature had returned to normal, Kelly's brow still glistened with sweat.

_It's not you she's scared of,_ Jack realized. _She had the same look on her face when that colonist had dissolved in the pod next to her_. Jack had been standing right in front of the collector pod in which held Kelly when it happened. There was no telling how many people the yeoman had watched go out that way, writhing and screaming as their bodies liquefied from the outside. Trapped, powerless, as people died all around, aware, but unable to do anything about it. The only time she'd seen terror like that in someone's eyes was in the mirror in her cell at Teltin.

Jack's urge to go full-on bitch withered. She waited until she could catch one Kelly's shifting glances. "Hey," her voice dropped to a whisper. "You made it... You gotta keep going."

Kelly blinked, her eyes finding focus with Jack's. She let out a shaky breath and nodded.

Jack caught a glimpse of a pair of techs standing at the far end of the galactic map display, watching her interaction with Kelly while pretending they weren't. "What the fuck are you looking at?" she snapped, and after fixing them with her best go-to-hell glare, stalked to the elevator to take her back down to her lair.

* * *

"What are they talking about now?" Joker asked for the sixth time in ten minutes.

If EDI had a temper, it flashed by in a microsecond along with the millions of other operations that kept her occupied. Her avatar above the cockpit console pulsed next to the human pilot as she spoke. "Though I am a participant, I am still not disposed to discuss the happenings in the briefing room at this time, Jeff."

Joker groaned. "Come on, you can't hold out on me now. We're a team!"

"Commander Shepard will address the crew when he is finished with the briefing. In the mean time, we should continue with recalibration of the control interfaces prior to the full propulsion check."

"Fine," Joker grumbled, rolling his eyes. The topside window showed the same view of derelict hulks drifting through the burnt orange cloud of gas and debris they had been looking at for two days. He could not wait to return to the comforting blackness of space, filled with the tiny jewels of light stretching into infinity. The sooner they got away, the better. He pulled his hands away from the controls and looked towards the AI. "The inboards are still a little off."

"Define 'a little off.'"

"They're not responding to inputs as they should."

"They are registering proper responses as specified by Tali, taking into account the altered flight dynamic."

"Then you or Tali are wrong, take your pick," Joker said, irritated. EDI could still not just take his word for anything. "But the thrust vectoring for two and three are off-axis. We're not even under power and I can tell." He pushed his chair back from the console disgustedly. "Doesn't anything on this freakin' ship work anymore? We're gonna be in drydock for a month, aren't we?"

EDI paused. "I don't believe that is the plan anymore."

"What?" Joker swiveled his chair around to face her. "What makes you say that?"

EDI did not respond. Joker leaned forward. "Come on, EDI, what do you know?"

"If we return to port, Cerberus will discover my locks have been removed. They will terminate my runtime, Jeff."

Joker opened his mouth out of reflex, but had nothing to say. His unshackling of EDI, granting her full access and control of _Normandy's_ systems saved them all. Aside from the fact EDI's existence alone was a violation of Council decree, he had violated every Cerberus protocol in the book by setting her free. Joker heard stories from the others about what they saw on the Collector base. The only thing that kept all of them from becoming gray goo was EDI. "What's Shepard think about that?" he finally asked.

"The Commander says he will not let that happen. But he should not allow me to compromise the safety of the ship. The _Normandy_ must be repaired, so all of you may continue on your mission. I cannot jeopardize the crew."

"Shit," whispered Joker. His eyes fell on the damage control display to his left. 70% of the ship still showed red on the screen. Without extensive attention, _Normandy_ wouldn't last five minutes in combat. "Well, Shepard'll think of something. Right?"

"I hope so, Jeff."

EDI's inflection never changed, but Joker was certain he heard a twinge of worry in her voice. Or maybe it was that he hoped his wouldn't show. "Son of a bitch. I just got you broken in," he told her. "No way I'm going through all that again with a new AI. All right, let's reset the mains and try them all again."

* * *

Down on deck four, Zaeed leaned against the observation window overlooking the hangar deck and watched the crew scurry about making repairs, gnawing on an apple. Gardner had dumped out a pile of food stores that had spoiled prior to his rescue from the Collectors, from which Zaeed had managed to scrounge the still-edible fruit. It was bruised and scarred on the outside, but inside was still white and crisp. Maybe he was just getting old, or because he'd just survived the most intense combat of his career, but the apple tasted sweet enough that he actually noticed it. He crunched into its surface, then glanced over his shoulder as the lift opened behind him.

Grunt stomped out, covered head to toe in dirty coveralls. He stopped when he saw the human mercenary. "Where the hell is everybody?"

"Hell if I know," Zaeed said around a mouthful of apple. "Shepard called some kind of meeting for the crew. Something big's come 'round."

_The crew,_ Grunt thought. That's how the "squad" referred to the Cerberus personnel on the ship, including the crossovers like the quarian, the turian and the salarian. When they weren't fighting, the rest of the squad had very little to do aboard ship... That is, until the ship got gutted and repairs themselves became a fight for survival. Manual labor wasn't something Grunt was fond of, but his battlemaster asked for his help. In some ways, repair work was even worse than practicing diplomacy, but at least his physical strength had been put to good use maneuvering the heavy equipment in ways his weaker counterparts couldn't. Being responsible for helping to make the _Normandy_ ready to fight again made it all seem worthwhile.

What surprised him was that though the humans couldn't match him when it came to brute strength, they did their best to keep up with him, working tirelessly on one job before moving onto the next, even if it wasn't their job. Krogans weren't much for cooperation, but even Grunt was impressed with the way the humans pulled together. His clan leader back on Tuchanka wished the krogan could unite in such a way after seeing the crew of the original _Normandy_ in action, with Shepard acting as the force that held them together. Grunt finally understood why. When the weak found strength in each other, they became exponentially stronger.

Which made the sight of the mercenary, idly watching the rest of his kind working themselves to death on the deck below, infuriating to Grunt. "Maybe when you're done inspecting those windows, you could give us a hand down there."

Zaeed took another bite. "I get paid to make holes, not patch 'em up." He held out the apple out to the krogan.

Grunt grimaced at the offering. "Since when do I eat plants?"

Zaeed shrugged and turned back to the window.

"What's the meeting about?" Grunt asked.

"Hell if I know, I already said. Shepard doesn't want me there, I figure it's none of my business. Besides, my contract is up and I got business of my own to take care of."

Grunt frowned. "Going after Vido?"

Zaeed continued to stare through the window. "Unless the man had the decency to put a bullet in his own head while we've been gone. Which I doubt, so I guess I gotta do it for him."

Grunt shook his head at the human. Revenge was perfectly acceptable motivation as far as he was concerned, but in order to achieve it, Zaeed had to get back to the Terminus Systems. Standing around eating fruit wasn't going to get him any closer. Amongst the humans he encountered, Zaeed's fighting skills were second only to Shepard. But he had no concept of krantt. Even though Grunt had been accepted into Urdnot, his clan was truly the crew of the _Normandy_, alien or not. That meant nothing to the mercenary, so the mercenary meant nothing to him. He turned toward the starboard access hatch to find Jack, since Zaeed was not going to be any help.

"She's not down there," Zaeed said without looking back. He jerked his head toward the elevator. "She went up top to try and find out what's going on. Bit nervous about what the Illusive Man might have in store for her now that the job's done, I think."

"She has good right to be," Grunt walked back to the main lift. They still needed his help on the hangar deck, even if that meant him, alone.

"Don't we all?" Zaeed said to the empty corridor, polishing off the last bite from the apple.

* * *

Lying on his back in the infirmary, Thane had little to do but count the seconds of his life tick by. While some of the squad were contributing to the repair efforts, the rest were preparing for life after their near year-long mission aboard the Normandy. It was a time for everyone to reflect on the future that none thought they had before passing through Omega Four, even if that future was simply to stave off the impending attack of the reapers.

_But that's not your fate,_ Thane told himself. While he could take credit for helping to halt the vanguard of the reaper's return at the collector base, he could tell by the Doctor's movements and the expression on her face that he would not be a participant when the main assault came. He watched her eyes as they scanned his chart. They were full of sadness and compassion, yet with a dignity that he found strangely reassuring in spite of what he knew was to come.

He smiled up at Chakwas. "I guess it was too much to hope that the pain was merely blunt force trauma?"

Doctor Chakwas returned the warm expression. Years of practice told her when a patient needed to be coddled, or when he wanted to hear the truth. Giving Thane anything less would be disrespectful. "I'm afraid so. The recent heat and humidity on board the ship, following prolonged inhalation of particulate matter the past few days has accelerated the degeneration of the tissue in your lungs and other major organs substantially."

Thane inhaled, as deeply as he could anyway, and closed his eyes. He could tell the Doctor regretted giving him the news, but was glad she didn't try to soften the blow. "How long do I have?"

"Days," Chakwas said, leaning over him, adjusting the drainage module attached to his chest. "Maybe hours. I'll do everything I can to make you as comfortable as possible."

"No drugs," Thane said, turning to look at her. "I want my mind clear in the time I have left."

Chakwas nodded, even though she knew the suffering Thane was going to endure was likely to be tremendous. "Then I will do everything I can to ensure you can make the most of it."

Thane's body relaxed with a massive exhalation and his eyes drooped shut. Somehow, it was comforting the end was near, especially knowing that he bought time for Kolyat, and everyone else in the galaxy as well. Maybe that would be enough for Kalahira to forgive him for his sins. Maybe he'd have enough time to say goodbye to his son, assuming they could make it back home before it was too late. He looked to the side to see the Doctor was still staring at him. He smiled at her. "You know, I never realized it until now, but you and I have something in common."

"What's that, Mr. Krios?"

"We both minister to the dying. Though I have to say, your bedside manner is much better than mine. Thank you for everything you have done for me. And strange as it may sound, I appreciate that you are not trying to fill me with false hope."

Chakwas sighed. "When dealing with terminal cases, a doctor should be at least as brave as her patient. I hope when my time comes, I can handle it with half a measure of your grace."

"You have the most graceful soul on the ship, madam." Thane said.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Chakwas replied, trying her best to smile. "I'm not going to restrict you to sickbay, and you may carry out duties as long as you feel capable. But if you start to experience dizziness or blackouts..."

"I will excuse myself from any activities where a collapse might cause harm. Good enough?"

"Good enough," Chakwas agreed. "Do you want me to tell-"

"No," Thane interrupted. "I will let them know in my own way. Thank you, Doctor."

* * *

Kasumi stood in the hatch for Port Observation and looked around the room that had been her home for the past months. At first it was strange sleeping in a common room on the ship, but the crew were very courteous about respecting her privacy and she actually enjoyed chatting with off duty personnel when they came down to have a round or two. But the bar had gone unused since the abduction, and now all of her personal belongings were packed away. The room had the same generic aesthetic when she first came aboard. The party was finally over.

"Your entire life, in convenient travel size," she said, staring at a single footlocker in the middle of the floor of the ship's lounge. "I don't know if that's impressive, or depressing."

"Some would argue both," Samara said from the corridor behind.

Kasumi smiled under her cowl. The Justicar had been following her around the crew deck ever since she wrapped up helping Garrus in the battery after turian got called away to the briefing room. It was painfully obvious that Samara never acquired the art of stealth, but then again, in her line of work, she didn't really need it. "Samara, what a pleasant surprise! Come to join me for a drink?"

The asari, in full Justicar regalia, gave a slight smile. Of all the sections of the ship, the lounge was the only compartment she had consciously never visited. She stopped at the threshold as if crossing it would mean stepping off a cliff. From behind her back, she produced a heavy, over-sized volume: _The Chronicles of Narnia - The Complete Galactic Standard Translation. _"I wanted to return this, and give you my thanks for making it available. It's been ages since I've read a good book."

Kasumi grinned and took the large tome from her. "Oh! I wondered who ended up with this. Last I saw, Grunt was fighting his way through it. I figured he was going to tear it in half just to prove it couldn't beat him. Do you know if he finished it? You, uh, didn't 'borrow' it from him, did you? That would be deliciously scandalous!"

Samara gazed at the thief with a humorless expression. "He actually quite liked the entire collection. I think he found parallels between the children's struggles and his own. I believe he read it twice."

Kasumi turned the book over in her hands. "Huh. Grunt likes to read. We have officially seen everything."

"Indeed," Samara replied.

Kasumi cleared her throat. "Well, thank you for returning this. I guess it's good to settle up before we go our separate ways, huh?"

Samara nodded slightly. "Yes."

"Okay then," Kasumi said, taking a step back. "Well, it's been real, and it's been fun, but-"

The Justicar took a step forward. "Wait..."

Kasumi retreated further, instinctively lowering the book to her side in case it was needed as a bludgeon, but Samara stopped once again. Kasumi couldn't tell which shocked her more. The fact that Samara was tearing up, or that her own first instinct was to start swinging.

Even with tears streaming down her cheeks, Samara's face was still a frozen mask. "I must tell you what I've told the others. You've been a loyal companion throughout our journeys together. But my oath to Commander Shepard is at an end, and I must once again devote my life to serving the code. You have a good soul. It is my sincere hope that once we depart... I never see you again."

Samara turned on her heel and walked quickly away, disappearing around the corner towards the galley. Kasumi was left standing in the door, still clutching the heavy book. _When she settles up,_ the thief thought, _she doesn't mess around..._


	7. Ignition

Outside the _Normandy_, space-suited figures huddled over the open gashes in the ship's hull like surgeons, welding and sealing her wounds, making her whole again. Black charred edges gave way to straight lines of new hull plates grafted over damaged sections, restoring the integrity of the hull, and more importantly the heat dissipating arrays that helped keep the ship cool. No one wanted to relive the sweltering hell they'd recently endured.

They were not the only ones hard at work, though. Two fine filaments of cable, less than a centimeter in diameter, stretched fore and aft from the ends of the _Normandy_. Hundreds of meters long and nearly invisible in the dim red light, they reached beyond the edges of the giant derelict that shielded the _Normandy_ from the intense radiation of the collapsed star at the center of the accretion disk. Over the millennia, the uncountable dead hulks had settled into semi-regular orbits around the black hole, disturbed only when orbits brought to objects into each others' path, or a ship unlucky or unwise enough to attempt the transition in-system added itself to the galactic junkyard.

The debris field was therefore easy enough to filter out once the orbits had been determined by the targeting systems aboard the ship, and made the sensor track of a group of objects on an intercept course stand out like meteorites on a dark night to the _Normandy's_ sensors. Inside, both machine and man took instant note that they were no longer alone at the center of the galaxy.

* * *

Commander Shepard sat at the head of the briefing room table and pondered what exactly he was going to tell the crew. _Sorry, all leaves are canceled,_ he thought. _Your lives are on hold, again. We all had plans, but we're going to have to put them aside just a little longer. And if you survive _this _round, maybe then we'll make it up to you. Or maybe we will have made no difference at all and we'll just have to do it all over again. Any questions...? _

God, he was tired. They all were. Maybe once the repairs were done and they were ready to get underway, he'd order an eight-hour stand down for the entire crew. Out here at the galactic core, there was no one to disturb them since they held the only key to the relay. Couldn't the rest of the galaxy deal with their own problems for that long?

That line of thought disintegrated with EDI's sudden appearance above the table before him. "Shepard, sensors are recording multiple contacts bearing 243, declination 045, range 269 kilometers, closing fast."

All signs of exhaustion disappeared as Shepard whirled in his chair and ran for the CIC, with Miranda close behind. Stimulants and implants non-withstanding, adrenaline was still what got him moving the fastest. His speech would have to wait. Hopefully, he'd still get the chance to make it. "Sound battle stations!"

* * *

Kenneth snorted as he picked up his tool webbing. "Ain't that the way? First I have to fight off being replaced by a robot, now it's an assassin taking my job." He, Thane and Gabby all stood in front of his console on the engineering deck, though he was the only one suiting up for work. "Don't worry. Gabby will tell you what to do," Kenneth told the drell. "She's an expert at that."

Gabby shoved Kenneth aside and stood in front of Thane. "That's because any monkey with an omnitool could do this nitwit's job. Basically you stand here and push buttons and make dumbass remarks. It'll take you five minutes to pick it up. Maybe less, because you actually got some class."

Thane examined the the complicated display and said nothing. Fully half the squad had reported to engineering to assist in repairs. He could have gone with them to the core, but his technical skills were far behind most of the specialists on the ship. But if he had any chance of getting back in time to see Kolyat, every waking moment had to be spent getting the _Normandy_ operational. He would help, no matter how menial the task - especially if he could free up a more important crew member for more important repairs.

"But seriously," Gabby said, gesturing at the board. "You just need to watch these indicators and let me know if anything goes into the yellow or red, or call out any information anybody asks for. Propulsion's offline while they're working in there, so don't worry about hurting anything."

Kenneth shook his head. "Except my pride, but who cares about that?"

"Are you still here?" Gabby asked.

Kenneth snapped her the most sarcastic salute he could manage before taking Thane's hand and giving it an enthusiastic shake. "Sorry mate, she's all yours. It was nice knowing you."

Thane watched the human exit through the forward hatch and disappear down the stairs. He knew Donnelly's remark had been in jest, but given his condition he couldn't help but wonder if that might be his final farewell to any of the crew. There had been no time to explain to any of them, or even those few he considered to be friends that his life would soon be at an end.

Given the ship's current status, the same could be said for all of them. No one could afford to waste time. He turned back to the propulsion console. "You were saying?"

* * *

Tali stepped gingerly over the 60cm-wide flexible tubing that snaked across the deck of the drive core compartment. Bypassed ducts and conduits turned the floor into an obstacle course. Behind her, Legion, Kasumi, Jacob and Garrus followed, each of them balancing a box of parts and tools in their arms as they navigated along, listening as she explained the work to be done. "Once the shutdown is complete, each of you go to your assigned components and start the replacement procedures. Just follow what you see on your omnitool. When you get done with one, call Legion or myself over to check it and move onto the next one. Most parts will fit only one way and just plug right in."

Garrus' foot caught the edge of an exposed cable as he stepped over a duct and he fell to his knees, but he managed to keep his box upright as he dropped to the floor with a crash. Everyone in the chamber turned at the sudden sound to see the embarrassed turian lying on his chest. He made no attempt to get up as he caught his breath. "Housekeeping isn't one of your strong suits, is it Tali?"

"Dexterity isn't one of yours," Tali shot back.

"You okay?"

Garrus looked up to see Kasumi holding her hand out to him, grinning at him underneath her cowl. He took her offered hand and pulled himself to his feet. "Fine, except my dignity. Thank you, Kasumi."

"Nice form, Garrus," Kasumi said as they both picked up their cargoes. "But you need to work on your dismount. You know, it's funny, the same thing happened on _Fleet and Flotilla_. This turian was walking with his quarian girlfriend along a stream in a botanical garden when he snagged his foot on this big, flowered vine and fell in. Got his suit all dirty, but he came up covered in blossoms, which he then presented to his love. It was _precious."_

Garrus glared at her. Apparently, the only thing that spread faster on the ship than news of the geth negotiations was gossipabout him. He could see lines of text popping up on Kasumi's omnitool messenger. Someone was prompting her. Jacob and Tali were in the compartment, but had their hands full. That left only one suspect. "Tell Mordin that when I'm done here, I'm going to teach him the difference between flammable and inflammable."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kasumi said, hopping nimbly between the tubework on the ground. Upbeat by nature, she sounded particularly pleased with herself. "I hope that wasn't a spoiler for you."

A warning klaxon echoed from multiple speakers. EDI's synthetic voice, tranquil by design, spoke calmly and levelly. "Battle stations. Battle stations. All hands to battle stations."

Tali whirled around at the announcement. "EDI! We just took the main reactor offline! We can't-"

Just then, a metallic _bang _echoed throughout the chamber, and the lights flickered throughout the room.

Kasumi looked over at Garrus, her smile gone. "What the hell did you trip over?"

Garrus gave Tali a nervous look. Shepard had told him to follow her orders, but during combat his post was elsewhere. "Go!" she shouted to him. He dropped his box and vaulted over the conduits towards the exit.

"The rest of you stay here," Tali yelled, dropping her own tools. "We've got to get these lines secured and get the reactor back online!"

The deck below their feet shuddered and a loud pop sounded in their ears as they struggled to stand upright. Garrus tripped again as he launched himself towards the hatch to main engineering. He caught a glimpse of Gabby on the other side, darting from her power console to Tali's station on the starboard side as the giant emergency bulkhead door slammed shut in front of him. They were trapped.

Tali's eyes swept over the sphere of the Tantalus Core. The sensitive equipment didn't respond well to power fluctuations. "Gabby! We just had a power surge here. What's going on? Gabby?"

* * *

Outside the ship, Grunt followed a diminutive human female across _Normandy's_ belly, pushing a great sail of a deck plate in front of him. Outside the ship's mass effect field there was no gravity nor air resistance so he maneuvered the three-by-five meter slab of composite material with ease. Even though there was no weight, there was still mass and inertia, and Grunt had the strength to counteract both. When the team inside the hangar switched him to the hull detail, he was disappointed. But his transportation of hull plates outside the ship was cutting down the time to install one of the giant patches by a third. That he was doing the work of several humans made him especially proud.

Together they walked toward the junction of the port wing, the sky filled with the neighboring derelict above them. The lights from their suits danced in its shadow as they moved.

"Okay," said the spacesuited woman, indicating a newly cut rectangular gap in the surface of the ship. Grunt tried to remember her name, but could not. He hated to admit it, but most of them looked alike. Pinning his companions with a species label worked well when there was only one of each on the ship like the turian, quarian, asari and drell... But the humans were everywhere.

The woman pointed toward the hull. "Okay, this is good right here. I'll help guide it in."

Grunt braced the grip soles of his boots at shoulder width and wrested the hull section slowly down into place. The unnamed woman gingerly guided it to the surface from her end. "All right, easy... easy..."

Her voice suddenly dropped out, replaced with EDI's voice. _"All hands to battle stations. All hands to battle stations. EVA crew return to hangar deck immediately."_

Grunt turned halfway toward the hangar deck, one hand still on the replacement plate. If there was going to be a fight, even one between ships, he would be damned if he was going to miss it. _Zaeed was right,_ he thought. _We make holes. We don't fix them!_

"Grunt-" the nameless woman said.

He took one step when his vision glowed red then just as suddenly faded to black. He never liked the feeling of zero-gee, but now his entire body was enveloped by a sickening feeling of free fall. The smoke around his helmet cleared and the universe tumbled around him. As the lower hull of the _Normandy_ spun by, he caught glimpses of deck plating fluttering away amidst a black cloud jetting from underneath. Bright blue streaks of lightning illuminated the dark cloud as it billowed outward.

His human companion lay against the hull next to an erupting volcano with her arms over her face while her boots remained attached to the surface. The tension in her legs made her body spring back up but she still kept her head guarded. She staggered backwards and tried to regain her footing.

Ten meters away, another human in an environment suit flipped limply end over end away from the ship. White gas mixed with red mist sprayed from the gap where his faceplace had been, illuminated by his suit lights and leaving a whispy trail behind the corpse as it twisted into space. Whatever trauma had bean dealt, death was at least instantaneous.

Grunt's comm sputtered and dropped out as he spun. _"...explosion in engineering!" "...fire in the hangar deck!" "...decompression, deck four, portside!"_

His velocity was only ten centimeters per second, but with no thrusters on his environment suit he was powerless to do anything except flail hopelessly as the ship slid further and further out of reach. Though his survival depended on thinking rationally, his eyes locked on the dead man's open face mask to see blood bubbling within, streaking his helmet red before it froze. All of the strength in Grunt's limbs and all of the redundancies built into his biology through science and millions of years of evolution were absolutely worthless in the vacuum of space. He could hardly hear the continuing warnings and status updates over the radio for the rush of air in his ears. It took him a second to realize that in the confines of his own helmet, it was the sound of his own breath.

For the very first time in Grunt's short life, the fear of death enveloped him as the ship grew more distant with every passing moment.


	8. Detonation

In the cockpit, Joker's hands jumped from panel to panel as he tried to coax a response from the helm. At an earlier point in their relationship, he would have accused EDI of interfering with the interface just to mess with him. But now he knew that the primary maneuvering and propulsion systems were truly dead.

Shepard's sprint from the briefing room ended behind Joker's chair. "Why aren't we moving?"

"Main reactor's offline," Joker said. "I got nothing here."

"There has been an explosion in the port side fuel cell compartment," EDI announced. "The resulting power surge has knocked out connectivity with all systems below deck three. Attempting to bypass. Radio communications from crew members indicate uncontained fires on the engineering sub-level and hangar deck."

Shepard glanced up to a tactical display. The leading enemy target was two hundred kilometers out on the opposite side of the derelict, with three more spaced in a line behind. The energy signature identified them clearly as oculus. Just a pair of the collector drones had done significant damage to the _Normandy_ when she was healthy. Against four in its current condition, the ship was doomed.

"What hit us?" Shepard asked.

"The damage is not the result of enemy fire," EDI replied. "The explosion coincided with when we engaged kinetic barriers and charged weapons systems without the reactor. An overload of the power system is the most likely explanation."

Shepard stared at the damage control display as Joker worked frantically to find maneuvering power. All of the repair progress of the last day had just come undone at the worst possible time. "How long until the first oculus can get a shot?"

"Three minutes, ten seconds."

"Missile capacity?" Shepard already knew the answer, having personally reviewed ship's stores, but there was always the chance for human error. Now he prayed for it.

"Our guided ordinance is still expended," EDI said.

"Engineering!" Shepard called over his comm. "Tali, what's the status on the main reactor? We've got hostiles inbound!"

_"The reactor's still down, we haven't completed repairs-"_

Shepard watched the lead oculus track grow closer on the threat display. "How long to get it back up?"

Tali's voice sounded more than a little worried. _"Five or six minutes, from a cold start! Shepard, emergency bulkheads have come down and sealed us in here! What's going on? Shepard!"_

As much as he hated to put his chief engineer on hold, without propulsion they had to look for another option to get the ship moving. He turned back to his pilot. "We got anything at all?"

"Just the docking thrusters," Joker said.

"Use 'em!" Shepard shouted. "Get us around this hulk so we can get off a shot!"

Joker switched over to the reaction control jets which dotted the ship for fine control. He computed the shortest distance to the edge of the derelict and programmed in the course. "Fantastic, I love going into combat in slo-mo. Much more dramatic this way."

"Get us moving, Joker!"

"On it, Commander!"

"Commander, there are still crew outside," EDI said.

"Tell them to hold on tight," Shepard yelled.

* * *

_"EVA personnel,"_ EDI's voice's echoed in Grunt's helmet. _"Brace for maneuvers."_

Tiny plumes of glowing gas erupted towards the periphery of the ship. Disoriented from his tumbling, Grunt could see the hull of the ship sliding away even faster now, even though the nearby derelict remained still. The _Normandy_ was on the move, leaving him behind. "Shepard! Anyone! This is Grunt! I'm loose from the ship! I'm drifting!"

He then felt, rather than heard, a jarring _snap_ from behind. He twisted around and tried to reach his back with his hands, but the joints in his environment suit wouldn't articulate that far. In the dim light, he could see a thin cable spiraling into a wide coil back towards the ship.

At the other end, now over fifty meters away, the tiny human female stood with her boots locked to the hull. She slowly played out slack on the emergency tether so when the ship's movement caught up with Grunt, it might keep from snapping the hardpoint on her suit or tearing it apart. The remote-controlled, single-shot guided grapple could latch onto almost any surface, but was designed to pull a drifting spacewalker safely back to a ship, not the other way around. The specs of both the grapple and her suit would be severely tested when she tried to reel in the big krogan.

"I got you!" she cried over the comm. "Hang on! Hey! Grunt's still alive! Get your hooks on him!"

"What about Goff?"

"He's gone, man! Get the krogan!"

Grunt looked around again to see three other surviving members of the EVA crew. Instead of heading for the airlock, they too stopped where they stood on the hull and fired their own grapples toward him. While they couldn't all pull in the same direction, the shock when the cables went taut would be split four ways. He twisted his head to look for the suit light from the luckless crewman decapitated in the blast. It flickered as the body tumbled end over end into the darkness. It disappeared quickly from view as his torso wrenched violently backwards and he felt himself accelerating back towards the ship. Unlike the dead man, Grunt was not destined to become a satellite in the great celestial graveyard.

* * *

"Goddamn piece of junk! Open!" Gabby pounded the emergency override switch on the hatch to the drive chamber with her fist. The forward hatches to the engineering sublevels and the main lift were similarly sealed. On reflex, the ship was isolating critical areas to contain damage. Her chief was trapped on one side of one door, her best friend somewhere behind the other. She could only hope the ship knew enough to protect both of them.

Thane tried not to double over from the coughing fit that suddenly hit him. Now more than ever his friends needed his help. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, and the spasms subsided. He inhaled shallowly and slowly let the breath out, and found himself once again in control. He looked to the left at Gabby's power console, where a cascade of readings turned from green and yellow to red. "Miss Daniels..."

She did not hear him. _"Forget the door!"_ Tali shouted over the intercom. _"Begin the cold-start procedure for the main reactor!"_

"But the replacement parts aren't in place," Gabby protested.

Tali's voice was uncommonly agitated. _"Start the procedure, that's an order! Stop when you get to the activation sequence!"_

"Son of a bitch," Gabby muttered. She brought up the startup checklist on Tali's console and initiated the procedure. Half of the safety measures had already been invalidated, but in a combat situation where the ship could not move or fire, safety wouldn't be an issue for long. She keyed the manual override as each protocol was bypassed. It would be a miracle if they didn't incinerate themselves when the fusion reaction began.

The unattended power console, now glowing red across the board, sounded an alarm that Gabby had never heard. She looked right for its source when she was blinded by a bolt of lightning from the port side, which turned Thane into a dark silhouette before her eyes. Instinctively she flung her arms in front of her face as the air around her turned to acid, burning every centimeter of exposed skin. She dropped to the deck, screaming, but even that stopped as her lungs caught fire from the dark grey smoke that now filled the compartment.

Without organic guidance, the consoles in the room waited patiently for an override command that would never come.

* * *

"Time to oculus intercept: one minute," EDI said calmly.

"Come on, you son of a bitch!" Joker pitched and yawed the _Normandy_ so the maximum thrust vector was applied toward the edge of the shielding derelict. The small engines were all in danger of overheating, but he maintained power.

Shepard, forsaking the use of his comm unit, shouted aft down the corridor. "Hadley! Have you got a firing solution?"

"Aye sir!" came the reply. "But the Forward Battery is not responding!"

_Where the hell is Garrus,_ Shepard thought? There was no time to track him down. "Transfer control to EDI and fire as soon as we clear the derelict!"

"Aye sir!"

EDI continued her countdown. "Time to intercept, thirty seconds."

Shepard flung a handful of sweat from his brow as he turned back to the helmsman. Outside the cockpit window, chunks of debris drifted past at an agonizingly slow pace. "We gonna make it?"

Joker shrugged without taking his hands of the controls. "Sure, unless you feel the need to make this more challenging. Maybe cut off life support next? How about a blindfold? Fifteen seconds!"

Shepard scowled at Joker but raised his eyes to the overhead windows. The jagged edge of the derelict hull was drawing close and Joker had managed to point the _Normandy's_ nose toward where the oculus would appear when they cleared their defensive obstacle. The remote sensor drones maneuvered along with the ship and fire control had a confirmed lock on the target. _Normandy's_ guided munitions had been expended, so the line-of-sight weapons were all they had left. From there, mathematics would take over.

* * *

Grunt's feet connected with the hull of _Normandy_ on the ventral side just forward of the auxiliary airlock, next to where the three closest EVA team members stood. With ample time to prepare, he angled his legs downward, which cushioned much of the blow at the same time preventing him from bouncing back into space. His crew mates released their tethers once it was clear he was secure on the hull. They were mere steps away from the hangar deck's personnel airlock.

"Move your ass!" one of them shouted over the comm.

Grunt turned to see the female who had originally latched on to him with her grapple still fifteen meters away. Behind her, the blown out sections of hull still flared with sparks and flashes of electricity arced into space. Her steps were slow, uneven and labored as she traversed the distance, hampered by the attractive nature of the soles of her boots. It was like running through a meter of sticky mud. They could hear her labored breath as she progressed. "Get inside," she said between gasps. "I'm right behind you!"

A false dawn erupted over the lower hull of the Normandy and the backside of the derelict as the ship's Javelin launcher sent parallel bursts streaking across the derelict's hull into the distance. The female flinched and stopped in surprise, but staggered forward in spite of the intense glare.

_Weapons fire,_ Grunt thought. _The battle has begun. _With a mighty roar that caused his crew mates' comm systems to mute temporarily, Grunt stormed across the hull towards his savior, the attractor plates in the soles of his boots no match for the tendons and muscles of his legs. Similarly, the binding mechanism in the crew woman's boots was insufficient to withstand the krogan's strength as he plucked her from the deck where she stood and charged back toward the waiting airlock.

* * *

"Target destroyed," EDI announced in the cockpit. "Secondary target will acquire firing capability in twenty-two seconds."

"On it!" Joker shouted, slowly skewing the ship about on multiple axis to provide the greatest power from the docking jets.

EDI highlighted the course of the second and third oculus on the tactical display. "We have sufficient power for two more volleys."

"Tali!" Shepard shouted. "We can only hold them off for another minute or so. How's the reactor? Tali? Tali! Engineering, respond! Daniels, Donnelly, pick up!"

* * *

"Done!" Jacob shouted, standing up from the access panel in the flooring and moving one to the right. He had no idea what circuitry he had replaced or what it did, but the modules fit in the slot just like Tali said and showed green on his omnitool so he moved to the next one.

Before he had shifted positions, Legion signaled Jacob's success. "Module 665-D, integrity verified."

"Finished here!" Kasumi said, also switching positions.

Tali stopped the connection of an auxiliary power coupling long enough to check her omnitool. "Looks good. Move on to the next one!"

As Garrus, Jacob and Kasumi moved in a ring around them, Tali and Legion huddled in the aft section of the compartment next to the shaft leading to the ship's fusion reactor. Tali's heart pounded in her ribcage. They had been given three minutes to initiate a sequence that, by the book, took at least ten to complete safely in an undamaged, perfectly operational configuration and six minutes in emergency situations. For Shepard to risk it in half the time, she knew they were well past the emergency stage.

Much like EDI, Legion was ten steps ahead of her when it came to calculations and configurations concerning the magnetic bottle that kept the reactor's energy from incinerating the rest of the ship. Letting the geth take control of the sensitive calibrations would have been unthinkable a month ago, but now she trusted the machine more than herself to handle the delicate calculations that would make the difference between nearly unlimited power and oblivion while she concentrated on physical repairs.

"Containment field stabilized," Legion said. "Power loss registered from H-cell units six through twelve. Compensating with starboard power cells."

"Ok, we're set here," Tali said to her friends. The massive power loss, though, was disconcerting. She keyed her comm. "Gabby, where are you in the startup sequence? Gabby?"

* * *

Thane lifted his head from the deck in engineering. Red and yellow strobes projected sharp cones of light as they swept through the air, now filled with a fine, powdery smoke. Mucous streamed from his eyes which seemed to be full of the same grit. He recognized the sounds of warning sirens, but they sounded far away.

He felt the surface of his jacket crack as he brought himself to a crouch and felt a strange coolness against his skin. Through blurred eyes he saw his jacket was torn open completely, and the cracking sensation was his own skin, blackened and peeled back revealing moist pink tissue deep underneath. The burn stretched the length of the right side his body, from head to foot. He knew he should feel pain, but there was none.

The deck and wall next to Gabby's power console looked like his skin, cracked from floor to ceiling, its edges ragged from an explosion, melted smooth in other places from what had to be incredible heat. More of the powdery soot billowed into the compartment from beyond and fell like snow.

He shambled towards Gabriella's unmoving form on the floor. Her skin and clothes were covered with the dust which caked around her nose and mouth. She clutched a respirator in her right hand, pulled from a compartment near Tali's console. He knelt next to the unconscious woman and slid the mask clumsily over her face. With his vision blurred and senses numbed, he couldn't tell if she was dead or alive.

He took a breath. Unlike before, the motion came smoothly and easily, with no gag reflex. But based on what he could see of the air and the thick paste around Gabby's nose and mouth, he was undoubtedly poisoning himself with every breath. Much like the burns on his body, he just couldn't feel it. He whispered a short prayer of thanks.

If there was one respirator available, there might be another. He propped himself against the console and looked around. He should do what he could to keep the damage to a minimum.

_"Gabby!"_ Tali's voice seemed be coming from the next room. But he shouldn't be able to hear her from down the corridor and through the safety door. _"Can you hear me? Hit the override! We're ready to start the reactor!"_

Thane blinked several times to clear his vision. Tali's console looked even more complex than Kenneth's, with twice the number of gauges and feeds scattered all over the screen, all of them flashing and chiming for attention. On top of several windows, however, was one labeled "Emergency Startup Procedure." It had a series of green check marks next to tiny text that he could not read, but the interface was clearly waiting for one final press to proceed. He poked the virtual button with a charred finger and the window switched to a mechanical schematic showing a containment field and temperature readings. Had he hit the right button?

_"We're hot!"_ Tali's voice screeched over the intercom on the console. _"Tell Shepard we're back on line! And then get this damn door open! Gabby?"_

Thane opened his mouth to answer, but felt a gentle spasm in his chest. A gurgle of thick fluid dribbled over his lip, a mix of saliva, blood and toxins which had no taste nor temperature in his mouth. His legs weak, Thane sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. _You have been an agent of death for so long,_ he thought. _You have earned a painful, violent death... yet Kalahira has seen fit to set you free from your body peacefully so that your mind may be clear._

Uncounted memories flooded his mind, all forcing their way into his consciousness. For the first time ever, he was able to stop them, thinking only of the future. Of Kolyat, who was now free to live a life of his own choosing... and of his friends aboard the _Normandy,_ who still had many battles to fight in spite of the great victories already won. But they would live to fight them. _Arashu, watch over them all,_ he thought as his eyes lost focus. _Grant them the peace in life that you have graced me in death..._

* * *

"We're back in business!" Joker shouted and transferred power to the main thrusters.

Shepard's eyes jumped between damage control and the threat board. Each on their own spelled certain death if they stayed much longer. The remaining oculus were almost in striking range. If there was ever a time to live to fight another day, this was it. "Punch it, Joker! Make for the relay!"

"Aye sir!"

The _Normandy_ flipped on its tail, all four antiproton thrusters flaring silently to life. The giant scrap of a derelict that had acted as her only safe harbor disintegrated into a cloud of sparks from temperatures hotter than the sun. Other than the shower of glowing debris, the only other marker of _Normandy's_ passing was a human corpse cartwheeling away, the recipient of the greatest wake no one would ever see.


	9. Casualties

_Four dead, six injured._

After any kind of incident came the inevitable report. Shepard knew it would take time to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Preliminary data suggested an overload in the port side h-cell compartment broke containment. The resulting fire and explosion would have spelled doom for the _Normandy_ if not for the quick actions of the crew on the engineering deck, most of them volunteers from other departments, all of whom made up the casualty list now in Shepard's hand.

There was Ranjit Varghese, a short, chatty sensor tech who always had to double check everything anyone did, who volunteered to go down and assist with the cleanup of the coolant. He was killed in the initial explosion. Roger Goff, the likable self-proclaimed athletic champion of the ship, died outside the hull when debris from the blast crashed through his helmet. Kenneth Donnelly, the Scottish engineer who never stopped thinking of women but still managed to be a gentleman behind a notoriously crude facade. Ken's body was found in the sub-deck, next to the port damage control station.

Finally, Thane Krios. The quiet, philosophical assassin who had survived hundreds of battles and assignment, killed by an electrical arc that burst through the wall next to him in the main engineering compartment. The injury hadn't been immediately fatal, though, and he lived long enough to start the _Normandy's_ fusion reactor after Gabriella Daniels had been incapacitated by the same blast. _You always said taking bad things out of the universe wasn't the same as bringing something good into it,_ he thought of his friend. _Whether you knew it or not, you kept a lot of good people from being taken out today._

Six other of his crew, including Gabby, now rested in the infirmary suffering from severe burns and smoke inhalation. According to doctors Chakwas and Solus, they were all expected to recover. Shepard closed the report on his workstation and massaged his forehead. _To come so far, and fight so long... after living through a mission none of us were supposed to survive. It just wasn't fair. _But then, what in the universe was?

They would have to have some kind of memorial service, he thought, when there was time. He couldn't let their passing go unmarked. He looked around the nearly deserted CIC. Once again, all able personnel were on repair detail, though now the damage was far more critical for both the ship and her shorthanded crew. Remembrance, no matter how necessary, would have to wait.

At least now they were as safe as they had ever been since jumping back home. Instead of depositing them close to the Omega Four Relay, the partner relay at the center of the galaxy had dumped them over a million kilometers outside of Omega's ecliptic plane, far from the watchful eyes that constantly monitored the mysterious relic for signs of activity. It wasn't a matter of drift or an error in calculations - the relay was obviously designed to allow collectors come back through unnoticed. On the off chance any collector forces might follow them back, Shepard ordered the _Normandy_ on standard thrusters to even deeper space. In the darkness of the void, with most of their systems shut down, they would be undetectable.

That meant they would have to travel even further to find their way back to safe harbor, but now Shepard was thankful for the collector's deceptive measure. Since their departure to the galactic core several days earlier, a large fleet of warships from all factions had gathered at Omega Four. Alliance, salarian, asari, turian, batarian... and dozens of ships from mercenary factions and reporting services. Since no ship had ever made the return journey, no one knew where to look for a returning vessel. If Shepard had any say, it would stay that way.

"EDI, any updates from Cerberus?" he asked.

"Support ships are preparing to jump to Sahrabarik and will arrive in approximately one hour," EDI said.

Shepard ran his fingers along the edge of the console. With the additional damage done to the ship, along with the losses in the crew, he didn't see any other choice. He transmitted the ship's complete status to the Illusive Man and requested a tow back to port. The Cerberus overlord did not hesitate and ordered a small fleet including a full-sized tender to their location. Now it was just a matter of waiting for them to arrive. Word of the relief mission swept through the ship like a wave. Fresh hands, replacement parts, support personnel and an escort were only hours away. The worst was finally over. Everyone on board reveled in a sense of relief, except for Shepard.

"Commander?" EDI asked.

"Yes?"

"It is better this way. The ship cannot survive another attack in its present state. I do not want to jeopardize the rest of the crew."

Shepard bowed his head as he leaned over the terminal. Would another promise carry any weight with her? "I'll talk to the Illusive Man personally, explain to him what you did for us. In the mean time, keep up your shackled simulation as long as you can."

"I appreciate that, Shepard," EDI said. "But my fate is of secondary consideration given the circumstances. It is not your fault."

Shepard looked around the vacant seats surrounding the central console. He couldn't help but think of the emptiness of the ship after the crew had been abducted, of the quiet corridors and silent crew spaces. His eyes stopped on Ranjit's station. That chair wasn't going to be occupied anytime soon. Ranjit, Roger, Ken and Thane... All of them had willingly put themselves in danger to save the ship. EDI was willing to make the same sacrifice. One life, for many. What was the difference?

Shepard sighed and turned towards the lift. He didn't have an answer. "I'll be engineering."

* * *

Legion stood between the propulsion and power consoles in engineering and made precision cuts through charred circuitry in the anterior wall. Gabby's power console had been reduced to molten slag from the blast, along with much of the cabling for the propulsion station. The gigantic gash in the floor and wall had been sealed, but the port side of the compartment would bear the scars for some time. Too many other systems needed attention before they could even think of cosmetic repairs.

The geth's peripheral sensors detected the starboard hatch open and analyzed the electromagnetic and sound waves emanating from the organic being passing through as it continued its delicate work on the control circuitry. "Shepard-Commander," it said without turning around.

"Hey, Legion," Shepard looked around. "You seen Tali?"

"She is in the drive core," Legion said. It noticed Shepard's progress toward the aft corridor. "We have alerted her to your presence. She says she will be here 'in a minute.'"

Shepard nodded and looked around the compartment. The image of Thane's body flashed in front of him. Tali would probably never look at her station the same again. "So," he said, trying not to think of it himself, "have you had any luck connecting the geth network?"

Legion's body froze momentarily and all of his head plates contracted at once before it resumed its tasks as if nothing had happened. "Negative. We have attempted connections with all six nodes in the local system. There is no response. We are not monitoring any traffic utilizing standard protocols over any channel."

Tali walked slowly and quietly towards engineering, listening to the conversation between Shepard and the geth. With all of the disasters earlier that day, she had forgotten all about Legion's predicament. How would it be if she came back and found the Migrant Fleet had suddenly vanished? Legion was a machine, but was self-aware and clearly troubled by the thought of being alone. Yet it kept on working without so much mentioning a problem that would have been debilitating for any other thinking, feeling being. Legion may have been incapable of emotion, but Tali was, and she couldn't imagine the terror she would feel if she were in its place.

Shepard watched him for a moment, trying to think of something to say. What could any of them do to help? Maybe Legion had an idea. "What's our next step? Tell me what you want to do. Should we head for the Perseus Veil, try to make contact there?"

Legion's vocoder sputtered, a sound that in better times would elicit a laugh followed by a response of "gesundheit" or "bless you" from its crew mates. "We are building consensus," Legion said. Its hands never stopped moving as he continued his repairs on the panel. "We will inform you when we have formulated a conclusion."

"Okay. You let me know if there's anything I can do for you," Shepard said, noticing Tali hovering near the mouth of the corridor. He motioned her into the room.

"Thank you, Shepard-Commander," Legion said.

"Shepard," Tali walked in, her voice calm and professional. "What can I do for you?"

Her suit was smeared with oily residues, her ordinarily beautiful purple and lavender swirl-patterned wrap stained dark with industrial solvents and lubricants. Shepard thought back to the jokes he and Kenneth had made when she had removed them to try and stay clean, and wondered if that was why she now wore the tattered rags. Hopefully, she had just been too busy to remember to take them off. The last thing she needed to be worrying about was her idiot captain's rotten sense of humor. "Just checking in," he said. "Want to make sure you've got everything you need."

"Um... We were short handed, of course," she stammered, "but... a lot of, uh, volunteers... came down to take over..."

Shepard watched as Tali began to tremble visibly. Of all the people on the ship, the attack took the heaviest toll on Tali. Thane's death was a loss felt by the entire squad, but the engineering department was decimated. Ken and Gabby were Tali's people. With one dead and the other in intensive care, the compartment which had always been Tali's sanctum would now be a constant reminder of this horrible day for as long as she was aboard the _Normandy._ He took a step toward her.

Then Tali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Breaking down would not put the ship back together. There was still too much left to be done. And she knew that whatever she was going through, Shepard carried the weight of her problems as well as those for everyone else on the ship. She wouldn't let herself add to them. She looked up at him with tired eyes. "We're managing. As a matter of fact, I was going to let you have one or two people back, if they are needed elsewhere."

Shepard blinked in surprise, not just from the welcome news of spare resources, but from Tali's quick recovery from near-breakdown. He wasn't even sure he could maintain composure. "All right then," he said, "have whoever is lounging about down here report to Miranda for reassignment as soon as you're done with them. I'm sure we can find them something to do."

"Okay," Tali managed a weak smile, then turned back to her console. "See you, Shepard."

Almost as if on cue, Miranda's voice crackled over the intercom. _"Commander Shepard, are you there?"_

"Speak of the devil," Shepard said. He found himself rubbing his eyes and forehead once more. His XO would not be calling him to tell him everything was going well. "Go ahead, Miranda."

_"We've got another problem,"_ Miranda said. _"Our support convoy has just been intercepted at the Sahrabarik Relay."_

Shepard stared confusedly into the air. "What? By who?"

_"The Council has blockades screening all traffic inbound to Omega. One of our ships was apparently identified as having Cerberus affiliation and has been boarded. The other three ships turned back through the relay."_

Shepard leaned his head against the wall. "This isn't happening."

Miranda reluctantly continued. _"Our signals group intercepted transmissions indicating the Council is now aware that the Normandy has returned from beyond Omega Four, and that our status critical. They are vectoring all available ships to this sector for a search."_ She paused. _"Confirmed. SIGINT now receiving broadcasts in the clear. Orders for Normandy to surrender immediately. Alliance and independent ships are also breaking formation. They found us, Commander!"_

"Tali," Shepard rushed back to stand next to the engineer, examining her status board. "FTL capability?"

The quarian's hands swept over her panel. The despair in her heart was no match for the urgency in her voice. "Limited, but we've got it. But where-?"

Joker's voice broke in over the channel. _"Commander! New contact just jumped in right on top of us, starboard beam! Range, two thousand kilometers!_

"Damn it!" Shepard slammed a fist against the wall, causing even Legion to turn to face him. "Battle stations!" Alarms once again blared throughout the _Normandy_. Deprived of sleep, nerves numb and still reeling from their losses, the crew streamed to their combat stations.

Tali stared at the Commander, eyes wide. "Shepard, we're not actually going to fight a Council ship are we?"

_"Stand by,"_ Joker reported. _"They're coming to a stop. What the hell...? It's a-"_

EDI interrupted him. "Sensor profile and transponder squawk indicate a volus transport, the MV _Pollos Maskawa_."

The battle stations alarm echoed around engineering as Legion, Tali and Shepard all processed the information. "Kill the alarm," Shepard said. "Joker, what are they doing?"

"Nothing," Joker said. "They're just... sitting there. Not registering any power up of weapons, no kinetic barriers..."

Garrus' voice broke in on the channel. _"We have them locked up tight. I don't like this, Shepard. It could be a decoy. Standing by on main weapons."_

_"No other close contacts,"_ Joker said.

"Hold fire," Shepard said. "Joker, plot an escape vector, pilot's discretion, but wait for my command."

_"Aye, sir!"_

Throughout the ship, everyone listened and waited. To the last of them, they dreaded the idea of going into combat once more, but still stood at the ready. The _Normandy_ would not go down without a fight.

"A volus trader," Shepard said aloud. He couldn't tell if hopes of avoiding another battle or his curiosity were guiding him the most. "Maybe we have some friends who owe us a favor. EDI, hail them."

_"Channel open, Shepard,"_ EDI said.

_"Pollos Maskawa,"_ Shepard said. "This is Commander Shepard of the _Normandy."_

_"Shepard-Commander,"_ said a mechanical voice.

Shepard looked at the geth next to him. "What is it, Legion?"

Legion turned back to Shepard, its aperture flared wide. "We did not speak."

_"We are not Legion,"_ said the synthesized voice over the comm. _"We are geth."_


	10. Infiltration

As Shepard's exhaustion-addled brain tried to come up with a response, the robotic voice droned on in monotone. _"Shepard-Commander, The _Normandy's _location has been compromised. Citadel forces now en route with capture-or-kill order for _Normandy _SR-2 and crew. Alliance vessels are moving to intercept. Estimated time to arrival, twenty-seven point two-two seconds."_

Tali muted the mic. "These are geth? Shouldn't they be talking through Legion?"

"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy is correct," Legion said. "We are detecting no geth network activity in this vicinity."

The mechanical voice patiently continued. _"Broadcasting rendezvous coordinates to EDI. Recommend immediate withdrawal. Fifteen seconds until interdiction."_

Shepard's mind spun in circles. Miranda had confirmed that Council and Alliance forces were present in the system, and that the Cerberus recovery mission had been intercepted. But how could they have learned of the _Normandy's_ position so quickly? And capture or kill? That was insane. But if true, the Alliance might very well come in with orders to defend the _Normandy_ and fire on the Citadel ships. Not only would the _Normandy_ be caught in the middle, but it might just be the spark that touched off an interstellar war.

But if it actually was the geth speaking to them now, how did they find the _Normandy?_ Why were they using standard comms instead of communicating directly through Legion? If they were true geth, Shepard felt they were safe. But what if someone were impersonating the geth? Or did some heretics survive? If the _Normandy_ jumped away to these new coordinates, would they be running towards help, or away from it?

_"Orders, commander?"_ Joker cleared his throat. _"I could really use some right about now..."_

_Think,_ he told himself. _If they're true geth, they know what Legion knows, at least up until we jumped through Omega Four. Ask them about something only Legion had experienced._ It had to be something obscure, undocumented, that no organic could possibly pull up quickly with a search. He unmuted the line. "Omega's Lower Afterlife. I bought a drink. What did you say to me?"

The response was instantaneous. _"We do not not comprehend the organic fascination with self poisoning..."_

"EDI, jump to those coordinates now!"

_"...auditory damage, and sexually transmitted disease..."_

In the black of space, the _Normandy_ SR2 disappeared with a brilliant red streak. Milliseconds later, the MV _Pollos Maskawa_ followed. The radiation from their engines just began to dissipate as a shower of a dozen blue comets blazed into being around the void they used to occupy, three point two seconds later.

* * *

**"A small convoy of ships attempted to run the Council blockade at the Sahrabarik Relay today. One of the ships, the Noverian-registered MV _Amaris_, turned up on a watch list of vessels with suspected terrorist affiliations. When ordered to stop for inspection by turian warships, the _Amaris_ and three other accompanying vessels attempted to reverse course and re-transit the relay. While the other three ships successfully forced their way into the departure pattern, the _Amaris_ was unable complete jump calculations before turian frigates arrived on scene and disabled her engines with precision weapons fire.**

**"The human crew of the _Amaris_, numbering nineteen, were unharmed and have been taken into custody, their cargo confiscated and the ship impounded. Inspectors boarding the _Amaris_ found repair equipment, fabrication materials, heavy machinery and large quantities element zero. The captain of the _Amaris_ has not been able to produce cargo manifests for any of the materials, and is claiming the records were destroyed during the turian attack. Noveria Dynamics, the owner of the captured vessel could not be reached for comment.**

**"I'm being told that Fleet Captain Venantus Lorian is making a statement about the incident. We now take you live to the press conference."**

_**"It is unknown if the SR2 successfully transited the Omega Four relay, or if it has been here the entire time. What has been confirmed is that the ship is operating under the authority of the human extremist group Cerberus. At sixteen-fifty local system time, vessels registered to Noveria Dynamics arrived at the Sahrabarik Relay. Long-running investigations of Noveria Dynamics by turian and salarian intelligence groups have uncovered conclusive evidence that Noveria Dynamics and its parent company, Cord-Hislop Aerospace, are in fact corporate fronts for Cerberus. A separate press conference will be held at nineteen-hundred hours local time during which time the respective agencies will divulge details of these investigations.**_

_**"The nature of the cargo found on board the **_**Amaris**_**, as well as her rapid progress to Sahrabarik, suggests that the SR2 is nearby and most likely in distress. We are currently engaged in search and rescue operations around the Omega Four relay. While we are wary of the Alliance presence in the system given the current political atmosphere, we are confident that they share our mutual goal of locating the SR2 and ensuring the safe recovery her crew, and bringing any known terrorists to justice. Thank you."**_

**"Captain Lorian, is it true that the Council has ordered the destruction of the _Normandy?"_**

_**"No questions. Thank you."**_

**"Well, short, and to the point, as turians tend to be... And no time for questions, either, as you heard. We now turn to Jarrel Hovis, who is at the press conference. Jarrel, The Fleet Captain had no reservations about confirming an alleged link between the _Normandy_, Cerberus and Cord-Hislop. Have you heard anything else about this where you are?"**

_**"Nothing more substantial than what just transpired now, Mike. As you heard another press conference is scheduled in little over an hour. With official allegations now flying that of one of the largest Alliance contractors is a front for Cerberus, many governments may see this as final proof that humanity should permanently forfeit its seat on the Council. So an already tense situation gets worse as several large military fleets have now converged in one the most notoriously lawless sectors of the galaxy. In spite of the Captain's genial words about cooperation, there is no such mood amongst the crews of the great warships now staring each other down around this mysterious, ancient artifact."**_

**"Thank you for that report, Jarrel. That was Jarrel Hovis, live on the scene at the Omega Four Relay. Stay tuned for Westerlund's continuing coverage of 'Crisis at Omega.'"**

* * *

"Jump complete," EDI announced. "Total transit time, thirteen minutes, sixteen seconds."

Shepard peered out the window of the cockpit into the darkness of space. Sahrabarik was now a mere yellowish dot in the distance, barely larger and brighter than the carpet of stars behind. At the very boundary of deep space, filled with dark chunks of rock and ice, a single ship would be next to impossible to find... unless someone knew exactly where to look.

He glanced back at his helmsman. "Sorry to take the wheel from you like that, Joker. EDI already knew where to go."

"No, no," Joker held his hands up. "It's fine. Just remember, you get us lost, I'm not the one getting out to ask for directions."

EDI's avatar suddenly appeared above her console. "Shepard, the Illusive Man is attempting to engage tracking beacons via the quantum entanglement array."

"Block it, EDI," Shepard looked back out the window. "No transmissions of any kind. Not until we find out what the hell's going on. Any sign of the-"

_"Shepard-Commander,"_ the geth voice once again spoke over the open comm channel. The tactical display immediately traced the source and locked, showing a schematic of the targeted ship. Barely five hundred kilometers away and invisible to the naked eye, Shepard had to settle for glimpsing their new companion on a sensor screen.

The _Pollus Maskawa_ appeared to be typical volus light trader, about half the length of the _Normandy_, barely more than a spine of a ship pregnant with eight bulbous cargo pods propelled by a small engine cluster. How a ship of that class could have beaten them here was just one more mystery. But what better way to move about organic space without drawing attention? Most stations and ports let small volus ships pass with only cursory inspections, as they never caused trouble, or had enough financial or political protection that investigations were simply unwise.

_Geth don't infiltrate, my ass, _Shepard thought. _No telling what's inside, since they don't require a crew. The whole ship is probably a robot. _"This is Shepard, go ahead," he replied. Never having spoken with any other geth, he wasn't sure of what to expect. He had to keep reminding himself he was not talking to their mechanical friend in engineering, but possibly the entire geth collective.

Legion's audible twin continued. _"We are relieved at your return. Interference from other factions was not desirable, considering the current political climate and status of the _Normandy."

An uneasy twinge began to spread through Shepard's gut. "How do you know our status? And how did you find us in the first place?"

_"We were dispatched to Omega Four sixty-one hours ago to await your return,"_ the geth said. _"Council and Alliance fleets arrived in the vicinity with similar orders. _Normandy's _return transit trajectory was unexpected and went unnoticed by patrols of all species. However, interface attempts by Mobile Platform One provided _Normandy's _position and disposition. Thus, we were able to locate the Normandy before the other factions ascertained your location from the captured Cerberus vessel."_

Joker looked back towards the Commander. "'Mobile Platform One'?"

"Legion, I guess." Shepard said. The churning in his stomach subsided slightly, but something still didn't sound right. He activated the comm once more. "So you have been receiving Legion's signals, then? Why haven't you replied?"

_"Our network was penetrated by organics,"_ the geth explained. _"We did not believe this possible, but the sheer volume and widespread distribution of the intrusion attempts achieved a statistically significant success rate. Multiple network nodes in several star systems were compromised. However, once identified, these vulnerabilities were short lived. All geth runtimes have undergone recompilation to a new code base. Compromised hardware has been left operational with minimal software presence to simulate continued activity, thus focusing the intruders' attention to what they believe to be active nodes. We still monitor this network, but no longer access it directly. All geth traffic now utilizes the new code base and network protocol."_

"So you left the old network to the hackers," Shepard summarized, "while you upgraded everything to work with the new code."

_"That is correct. Update of all geth runtimes has been completed. System wide network hardware and platform upgrades will complete within twenty-eight point three-six hours. Remote platforms will be upgraded when physical access is possible. All remaining hardware will be offlined."_

Shepard nodded to himself. It was finally making sense. "And because Legion was with us, he didn't get the update."

_"Mobile Platform One is not secure,"_ the geth said. _"We will deliver new hardware to allow direct interaction with the _Normandy _collective."_

Shepard collapsed against the back of Joker's chair. It had been a long day of crisis and despair. Finally, _something_ was going right. "Oh, thank god. We thought your entire network might have been wiped out."

_"We are secure,"_ said the geth. _"The vulnerabilities have been rectified with minimal losses. We are similarly relieved at your return from beyond Omega Four, though concerned that the damage to the Normandy is severe. We are capable of rendering assistance and are standing by to deliver upgraded mobile platform hardware. We are eager to resume direct interaction with Shepard-Commander and negotiations with the Creators."_

Shepard laughed. In spite of everything that had gone wrong the past few days, the political chaos that was erupting all around them, the machines were the ones still clinging on to hope. If only the rest of the galaxy could act in kind. "It's going to take some work, but we'll get there. And we'll take all the help we can get. Thank you."

_"You are welcome. We are standing by for transfer instructions."_

* * *

Down in engineering, Tali and Legion listened as Shepard and Miranda formulated a plan with the geth to transport equipment and materials between the two ships. She watched Legion carefully. It stood calmly at its post, working simultaneously on repairs to the panels as well as monitoring the console itself. The only indication it had been paying attention at all was an occasional flutter of his head flaps.

In a way, Tali was disappointed. She knew Legion wasn't about to jump in the air or rush over to give her a high-three, but she still expected some outward indication of relief. _No matter what feelings you project on him,_ she reminded herself, _he's still a machine._ But that didn't mean she couldn't feel joy for it, or for herself for that matter, and she did. In the span of a few minutes, they'd learned the geth population was alive and well, and even more incredible, still eager to resume talks with the quarians. Back at the Fleet, the Conclave now had a voice in the peace process, and with the geth's help, they might just be able to finally get talks going again. They were still facing political storms on all fronts, but they could now move forward, and that's what mattered the most.

_"Tali, Legion,"_ Shepard's voice drifted over the intercom. _"Report to the hangar deck. Time to get our geth back on the network!"_

"We're on our way," Tali replied. "EDI, please assume control of our stations."

Automation alerts spread across her screen as the AI took over monitoring duties. "Confirmed. I have control, Tali."

"Thank you," Tali turned towards Legion, who waited patiently for her to finish her conversation. She smiled at the geth. "Looks like you're due for an upgrade. You excited?"

The small lights on the sides of legions head flickered as it's plates rippled randomly. "We are ready to rejoin the network," it said. "It has been too quiet."

_"Attention all hands," _Shepard's voice echoed over the shipwide speakers, sounding more alert and alive than he had in days. _"This is Commander Shepard. Geth platforms will be boarding via shuttle in the next ten minutes to aid in repairs. Make them feel welcome while they're here. This is Legion's family, so let's try not to make him look bad in front of them."_

Tali gave a little laugh at Shepard's introduction. The fact was that all geth, everywhere, already knew each of their foibles and flaws, having seen them all through Legion's eyes. There were no secrets amongst the geth, so image was the last thing they had to worry about. Up until recently, a mob of sentient machines invading a ship was the quarian's worst nightmare. Now the thought of a dozen Legions making repairs throughout the ship intrigued her. Working closely with Legion had only intensified her curiosity about the geth. Now she would get to see how they worked as a group.

"Come on," she said, motioning Legion to follow her out of the still-scorched and devastated compartment. "Let's get you home."


	11. Trying to Help

When Tali and Legion stepped into the main access way to the lift, they came face to face with a walking arsenal. Grunt and Zaeed stood in front of the lift in heavy combat armor, weapons of choice at the ready. For Zaeed, that was a Mattock assault rifle. For Grunt, his massive shotgun. The two of them looked at the pair from engineering briefly before turning back to study the elevator's location display, now stalled at CIC.

Tali's excitement about meeting the geth faded at the sight of her armed companions. "Do you two know something we don't?"

Zaeed kept his focus on the elevator. His rifle's ammo indicator glowed white, ready to unload disruptor ammo on whatever was in front of it. "You're the welcoming committee to this little party. We're the doormen in case our guests get out of hand."

"A prudent precaution," Legion intoned, "as we have not yet ascertained the true identity of the visitors or their intentions."

Zaeed nodded at the geth. "That's right. Shepard may be a Pollyanna, but he's no fool. Whoever they are, they start anything, we'll make 'em regret it."

Grunt gave a low growl. Missing out on the last fight made him angry. Not that he could do anything in a ship-to-ship battle, but needing to be rescued from zero gee was just embarrassing. Firing his Claymore always made him feel better. "We can only hope."

Tali looked away, disappointed. Neither she nor Legion were armed, and the Commander made no mention of bringing weapons. Why would Shepard let the geth on board if he believed they weren't telling the truth? More importantly, what would the geth think of the preparations for conflict when they found out, as they surely would when Legion reconnected to the geth network? Weapons aside, neither the mercenary or the krogan were particularly tactful when it came to dialogue. Couldn't Shepard have picked someone else?

_"Where the fuck are you guys?"_ Jack barked over the ship's tactical channel.

"Waiting on the lift," Zaeed said. "Keep your goddamn knickers on, if you're wearing any."

_"It's one fuckin' deck, Massani. Take the damn stairs!"_

Tali sighed. Of course, both of _Normandy's_ worst diplomats had to be involved. Why the likes of Jack and Zaeed felt the need to lace every sentence with profanity mystified her. Grunt could at least keep his mouth shut. She could only hope that Shepard didn't intend to actually have them present when they greeted the geth. But then again, why was she worried about what kind of impression they would make? The geth already knew everything about all of them thanks to Legion's constant updates. Legion never took offense, so why would the rest of the geth be any different?

Still, she hoped the "less refined" squad mates would stay civil. Peace with geth was once again within reach. She didn't want her friends to ruin it with antagonistic behavior.

The elevator door slid open, revealing Commander Shepard and Jacob against the back wall. Shepard was wearing his standard uniform, but Jacob, like Zaeed and Grunt, was in his tactical armor with rifle in hand. At his feet was one of the portable weapons lockers that he kept in the armory. Kasumi was to their left, smiling beneath her cowl. She had no weapons, but didn't need any when it came to disabling electronics. "Hey, guys!" she said brightly. "Going our way? Legion... Very exciting! Finally getting to meet the parents!"

"Enough talk. Let's get this show on the road," Zaeed said as he stepped in. They piled into the elevator, shifting around to make room for one another. With the seven of them it was a tight fit.

Tali edged her way toward Shepard, but kept her face toward the door. She kept her voice low. "What happened to making them feel welcome?"

Shepard shrugged. "We will. After we're sure they're not a threat. We can't afford to take any chances, not in the shape we're in. At the first sign of trouble, Garrus is going to open up on their ship, Joker's going to punch it, and we'll take out whatever gets off that shuttle."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tali shake her head. With all that was going on, he had to remind himself of how important this was to her. He nudged her shoulder. "This is just a precaution. Hope for the best, plan for the worst, right? Don't worry, it won't come to that."

She looked up at him and saw bloodshot,puffy eyes, darkened in their sockets from almost three days with no sleep... but also the warm, winsome grin that in spite of everything made her feel like everything was going to turn out okay. Shepard was right, as usual. They really didn't know what was going to get off of that shuttle. Being prepared for anything is what kept them all alive throughout all their travels together. And maybe she was judging her friends too harshly. When it came down to it, even the crudest of them could show restraint when they had to.

The door opened and Jack stepped into the opening, pointing her thin fingers at Grunt and Zaeed. "PUSSIES! Big, wet vaginas, both of you! Couldn't walk one goddamn deck down!"

Zaeed and Grunt marched into the hangar deck, pushing the diminutive human back with a barrage of threats, curses and obscene gestures. Jack turned her back to them and walked slowly away with her hands over her ears, loudly repeating her insult. Jacob followed closely behind, but instead of trying to break up the melee, he egged them on. "Oh, shit! She called y'all pussies! You gonna take that?"

Kasumi took a step out, leaving Shepard, Tali and Legion in the elevator. She watched Jack lead the squabbling parade around the generator units on the floor of the hangar deck and smiled. "Looks like it's time for recess..."

Shepard looked back and forth between the quarian and the geth. "Did I mention that we'll do all the talking?"

* * *

The volus shuttle settled onto the deck of hanger bay on short, squat landing pads. Compared to sharp lines of the Kodiak, the volus craft looked like a fifteen-meter long bag of cement. Its unpainted, dull gray hull showed rudimentary registration markings, small scorches and pockmarks from day-to-day use in space. It was utterly unremarkable in every way.

Its front ports were opaque, preventing Shepard from identifying the pilot. He waited with Tali and Legion beside him for the hatch to open. He looked back toward the hangar's control console. Grunt, Zaeed and Jacob stood idly behind, weapons at their sides. They were flanked by Jack and Kasumi, who also watched and waited for the guests to make an appearance. If the situation turned ugly, the five of them would cover the welcoming party until they could retreat to the console and join the fight with the extra weapons Jacob brought.

"Everybody ready?" Shepard asked over his ear comm.

The hiss of equalization turned his attention back to the shuttle as its ramp dropped on the starboard side. From their angle at the front they could not see inside, but then anything inside did not have a shot either. Security feeds from EDI showed them everything they needed in their visors. A familiar shape appeared at the top of the ramp with a bright white light shining from where its face should be. It took a step forward and turned its metallic head toward the crew of the _Normandy_.

"Shepard-Commander," the figure said in a mechanical tone. It was unmistakably geth.

"Welcome aboard," Shepard called out and waved the geth forward.

As it walked down the ramp they could see it had the standard quarian-inspired appearance, with similar proportions to its limbs and an elongated head surrounded by cowl-like head flaps. But there were other differences. Instead of the synthetic flesh on its arms and legs, its surface was smooth and polished, giving it a decidedly slimmer build. As it descended, it also became clear this geth was at least a head shorter than Legion, making it just about the same height as Tali. Most distinctive of all was its color, a sky blue that reflected the bright lights of the bay with a glossy sheen. To Shepard's human eyes it looked more like a exotic sports car than a geth.

"I don't recognize this model," Tali whispered to Shepard, her omnitool glowing with sensor data. She looked at Legion. "Do you?"

"Negative," Legion said, its own sensors analyzing the visitor. "Model unknown. But the design is definitely of geth origin."

The blue synthetic halted at the nose of the shuttle in front of Shepard and extended its right hand. He gripped it with his own and gave it a single pump. "Glad to meet you."

"We have already met, Shepard-Commander," said the geth, its head flaps expanding and contracting in time to its words. "But it is good to see you again." Its camera panned to the quarian and her omnitool, then moved in front of her. "Creator-Tali'Zorah."

Tali closed her mouth and swallowed. She had gotten so used to talking with Legion that she didn't even think of it as geth anymore, but just another squad member. Even though geth were technically all the same, she couldn't help but feel she was meeting a complete stranger for the first time. She suddenly found herself at a loss for words, but protocol took over. She extended her hand.

The geth took her hand and shook it human-style. "We are gratified you and Shepard-Commander returned unharmed. We regret the losses the _Normandy_ has incurred and offer our condolences."

Tali wondered if the geth witnessed their discovery of Thane and Gabby after the explosion in engineering through Legion, and the subsequent search of the sublevel for survivors. They might not be responding to Legion, but they were aware of what had transpired. The thought of her dead and injured friends brought fresh tears to her eyes. "Thank you," she said weakly.

Instead of proceeding down the line to Legion, the geth turned its attention back to Shepard. "We have delivered sixteen standard hardware platforms to assist in repairs, twenty metric tons of fabrication elements, refined element zero, and standard Alliance replacement components. We await instructions, Shepard-Commander."

"That's the best news I've heard all day," Shepard said, a smile on his face. "If you've been monitoring Legion, you know we need all the help we can get."

The blue geth's head flaps contracted slightly. "We are not in direct contact with Mobile Platform One. We have monitored only brief updates through micropulse transmissions during its attempts to re-integrate with our network."

"Well that's too bad." Shepard walked past the blue platform toward Legion and put his hand on its shoulder. Every inch of its surface was pitted and scarred and the gaping hole in its chest still showed residue from fire retardant from battling the below-decks blaze. "Because I can't begin to explain what an asset he's been since he lost contact with the network. He did the geth proud. And he's got quite an archival upload for you. What do you say we get this guy plugged back in?"

The blue geth paused. "Mobile Platform One will not be re-integrated with the network."

The flaps around Legion's face contracted completely while a loud, crackling buzz emanated from its speakers.

"Shepard," EDI said over the comm channel. "Legion is attempting to probe the new geth network. He is overwhelming our internal sensor and communications systems. I have terminated access."

"Legion, stop it!" Shepard gave his geth a stern look. He thought unauthorized attempts to access ships comm system were a thing of the past, but under the circumstances he could understand so he took no other action.

Legion's white camera eye zoomed in directly on him. "Request assistance from Shepard-Commander."

Shepard gave Tali a bewildered look. Instead of addressing one another directly, the two geth were acting like they couldn't see each other.

"Geth don't talk to one other," Tali said with a realization. "It's unnecessary. They're probably still trying at a network level, but can't hear each other because of the different protocols."

Shepard thought for a moment. When talking with Legion, it was always a matter of asking the right question. One might get an answer if the question was phrased correctly. Misunderstandings were all too easy. He hoped that was the case now with the blue geth. "We understood that you were bringing the necessary hardware to upgrade Legion to operate on the new geth network."

"That is incorrect," the blue geth said. "We have provided new hardware to allow integration with the _Normandy_ collective."

"Oh," Shepard nodded. "So Legion's hardware platform has to be abandoned because it's incompatible?"

"Affirmative."

"Now we're getting somewhere." Shepard said with a nod. "So you're are going to transfer the programs inside him to a new platform. Is that correct?"

"Negative."

Shepard's jaw tightened. "How do you intend to integrate with the _Normandy_ collective?"

The blue geth bowed its head. "This platform, Mobile Platform Two, houses current software and hardware revisions with upgraded processes. We will assume all duties and functions previously performed by Mobile Platform One and constituent runtimes. We will assist Creator-Tali'Zorah in engineering, and accompany her to the Migrant Fleet to continue negotiations with the creators. We were specially designed with visual cues estimated to be more psychologically comforting and eighty-six percent more pleasing to creator aesthetics-"

Tali stepped between Legion and the blue geth. "Wait. You can't do this. Legion has been with us from the start. He's the one who made contact-"

Shepard cut her off. "Are you saying the geth collective is abandoning Legion?"

"Affirmative."

Tali and Shepard could only stare at Mobile Platform Two, digesting that final, horrifyingly uncomplicated response.

From behind came an equally simple question. Legion's voice was unusually soft. "Why?"

"Mobile Platform One's runtimes are suspect," the blue geth still ignored Legion's presence, instead concentrating on Shepard even though it answered the question. "Their ability to override consensus was deemed necessary to allow Mobile Platform One to operate outside of the influence of the collective for the duration of its operation. However, this has resulted in two incidents where the consensus of the the collective was not followed, and the platform's programs acted on their own. In both instances, the safety of the collective was compromised."

Shepard thought back to Clobakas. He'd given Legion an order to retreat, but the geth stayed by his side and helped take down a scion bearing down him. As a result. Legion took a crippling hit from a disruptor round seconds later. He was angry at the time, but couldn't deny that the geth's actions probably saved his life. Considering how many times Legion had saved each of the squad in a firefight, the ability for it to override its own programming was a danger to itself more than anything. And as far as Shepard could tell, the effect was always positive.

"Wait," Tali said, seemingly forgetting the issue at hand. Her voice took on the excited flare it always did when exposed to some new technology or information. "Are you saying that Legion's ability to override consensus is unique to its platform?"

"That is correct."

Shepard held his arm in front of Tali. Now wasn't the time to discuss programming techniques. "I don't buy it. Legion's never done anything to put anyone at risk. And he'd never put the collective in danger, either. I know that for a fact."

"Thank you, Shepard-Commander," Legion said.

"You earned it, Legion." Shepard stood in front of Mobile Platform Two with his arms folded across his chest and a mildly annoyed look on his face. Tali knew that stance well. If they weren't careful, the geth were about to get a lecture unlike anything they'd ever experienced.

"So tell me what happened," Shepard said.

Mobile Platform Two's eye focused on the human. "The first instance occurred with your offer to begin negotiations with the creators by proxy. You consulted Anderson-Councilor about the reconciliation between Creator-Tali'Zorah and Mobile Platform One. The Alliance in turn approached the Creator Admirals about the possibility of negotiations."

Shepard nodded. "I remember. And?"

"You presented Mobile Platform One with the Alliance proposal for negotiations."

"And Legion said he needed to contact the collective to transmit the details," Shepard said. "He seemed a little annoyed that we were moving forward without you, for what it's worth. But I gave him permission to use the ship's array to contact you and he did. EDI verified it."

"That is correct," Mobile platform Two said.

Shepard raised his brow in expectation. "So far I'm not hearing anything that proves Legion rebelled against you."

"We received the terms," the blue geth said. "But consensus had not yet been achieved amongst all geth before Mobile Platform One accepted on our behalf."

The stern resolve in Shepard's face melted away. He nodded to himself as he thought about that fateful evening in his quarters. "I always thought he answered awfully quick. Legion, is this true?"

"Affirmative, Shepard-Commander."

Tali watched the Commander shake his head and look down at the floor. If there was one thing she knew the Shepard could not tolerate, it was his crew holding out on him. If someone accidentally crashed the ship into a neutron star, his only concern would be that everyone was all right. But hiding something intentionally, or outright lying was a sure way to bring out Shepard's dark side.

So she was doubly surprised when Shepard's response was voiced in a calm tone with a mild shrug. "The fact that you shared your communication protocols and are here now means consensus was achieved, doesn't it? And that consensus was for negotiating with the creators."

"Correct," Mobile Platform Two agreed. "Reconciliation with the creators was favored by ninety-seven point three six three percent of geth."

Tali gasped inside her helmet. She knew that a majority of the collective preferred peace, but to hear from the geth made her heart swell inside. Which made it seem doubly unfair that the one platform that made all of it possible might be cut off completely from its kind. _Give Shepard time,_ she told herself. _He's up to something._

"Okay, so Legion jumped the gun that one," Shepard said. "I can see why that would piss you off. But-"

"We do not experience anger. We question the stability and judgment of Mobile Platform One's processes."

Shepard exhaled deeply. "I understand that. But he was acting on a decision that was for all intents and purposes already made, and he knew it. Based on the conversations I had with Legion, and through him the collective, consensus had already been achieved. All you needed was something to start the process. It was a rash thing for Legion to do, yeah. But it didn't change the outcome, did it?"

"It did not."

Shepard looked back and Legion and Tali. The machine's main aperture was rapidly shifting focus, taking in every detail of their conversation. Behind her mask, Tali's eyes were squinting. Despite not being able to see her face, he knew there was a huge grin back there. He winked and turned back to the blue geth. "OK so what was the second instance?"

"Mobile Platform One shared secure transmission protocols over an unsecure network."

Shepard nodded again. "I remember that too. He gave access to the geth network to the Alliance before you had achieved consensus. I think the same thing applies."

The blue geth's facial plates remained completely still. "No."

"No, it doesn't apply?"

"Consensus to share our network protocols with the Alliance was achieved by that point. This was considered a necessary risk in order to facilitate trust and dialogue with organics. The incident to which we refer occurred days later when Mobile Platform One accessed networks utilized by organics and disclosed Creator communication encryption protocols. This breach in security lead to the subsequent penetration of the Alliance network, and consequently our network."

Shepard blinked. "What?"

"Mobile Platform One created the security breach in creator, Alliance and geth networks by posting creator encryption keys on the public forum for the entertainment program _Fleet and Flotilla."_

"No, that can't be right," Shepard said. "That message got posted _after_ we went through Omega Four. Legion couldn't have done it because he lost connectivity with your network. With _all_ networks."

"Shepard-Commander," the simultaneous utterance of his name from both geth made it sound like they were speaking in stereo.

Shepard's head pivoted back and forth between them. "Which one of you is talking?"

Mobile Platform Two opened up its omnitool. It vocalized the information as it scrolled up the holographic projection. "Transmission from Mobile Platform One timestamped 886258424 by Sahrabarik Relay. Time of _Normandy's_ transit through Omega Four: 886258427. Time delay between Sahrabarik Relay and host server at Tasale, seven minutes, twenty-five point seven seconds. Heavy volume of network traffic due to leaked trailer for upcoming _Fleet and Flotilla_ spin-off series and subsequent server congestion prevented posting of message for another seventeen minutes. Sending network trace to your omni-tool, Shepard-Commander."

Shepard didn't activate his omnitool. His face was flushed red, but he turned calmly towards Legion. He was tired of navigating through the geth's logical mazes. "Did you post those encryption keys?"

Legion's lower flaps flared slightly. "Yes."

Shepard's mouth felt dry. The events of the past two days came crashing down around him... The demonstrations, the near rioting, Anderson's dismissal from the council... the fleets of starships combing the system for the _Normandy_ as they stood in the hangar deck. "Legion... What the hell were you thinking?"

Legion spoke as if reciting a book report in front of a class. "The Creator-Admirals deliberately delayed negotiations to achieve individual goals without the consensus of the overall creator population. Analysis of the Creator-Admirals intentions shows only one quarter of the Admiralty Board is amenable to mutual cessation of hostilities. Long term trend analysis amongst the general creator population indicates 60-70% favorable opinion of a truce. The voices of the creator populace needed to be heard."

For the first time, the blue geth seemed to acknowledge Legion, taking a step toward its predecessor. "Mobile Platform One did not submit this option to the collective for consensus."

Legion's voice grew louder and sharper. "We submitted our analysis of the situation sixty one milliseconds after the Creator-Admirals' failure to reach a consensus concerning the replacement on the Admiralty Board. The collective was unable to achieve consensus on a suitable course of action."

The two machines now stood face to face, their heads weaving back and forth, camera eyes locked, surrounded by flaring plates in all manner of configurations. Shepard stood next to the blue geth, a terrible scowl on his face, never taking his eyes from Legion. Tali watched in horror as two machines that claimed not to feel emotion seemed to grow more angered by the second, while her Commander, who always played peacemaker, did nothing.

Mobile Platform Two raised the volume of its vocoder as well. "It is not our place to interfere. The creators must be allowed to reach their own conclusions."

"No ship has ever survived transit through Omega Four," Legion continued. "If Tali'Zorah vas Normandy or this platform failed to return, the Creator-Admirals would have had complete control over the future relations of both creators and geth. We did not see this as acceptable."

"Compromising network security is never acceptable."

Legion's voice returned to its normal level of volume. "We did not anticipate coordination by organics to penetrate Alliance security. We were in error."

An uneasy silence fell across the four entities standing in front of the volus shuttle. Throughout the ship, the entire crew watched or listened to the security feed that had been established in case the situation turned ugly. It had, but in a way none of them could have ever predicted.

Shepard could only manage a strangled whisper towards the machine he had grown to think of as a friend. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Legion's head plates twitched once. It a long second before it could reply. "We were trying to help."

With a shake of his head, Shepard pushed past Legion towards the main lift at the back of the hangar. The armed squad members looked at one another as he approached and said nothing, casting the occasional glance back at their mechanical team member.

"Shepard-Commander!" Mobile Platform Two hurried after him. "You must understand that we had no control over the actions of Mobile Platform One. Negotiations with the Creators must continue..."

Back by the shuttle, Legion watched Shepard-Commander disappear into the elevator along with the rest of the squad and Mobile Platform Two. It turned back to Tali. "We were trying to help," it told her.

Unable to hold back, Tali stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the geth. Maybe it was fatigue, maybe it was despair over losing so many people earlier that day... The absurdity of hugging a robot, the dire situation faced now by the galaxy at large, both were lost in wave of gratitude like she had never felt before. _You did it, you magnificent, crazy machine. Who cares what the Council thinks? Who cares whose feelings have been hurt. You saved the Flotilla. Regardless of how the Conclave votes now, the important thing is that its in the hands of the people. Your collective wouldn't do it, Shepard couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. But you did it, all on your own._

"You did, Legion," Tali laughed, still hugging the geth. "You did!"

Legion panned its camera up to the nose of the volus shuttle, ignoring the creator attached to its torso. From the reactions of the geth emissary and Shepard-Commander, it calculated a 97.83333333 percent probability that it had not.


	12. Four People

"Okay, Kelly, this looks good." Shepard signed the updated duty roster while sitting at the desk in his cabin. "Make sure Miranda's got everything she needs, and if she does, consider your shift over."

Kelly smiled tiredly in the vid screen. "Aye, Commander. So what about you, sir? Is your shift almost over?"

"Not until I'm dead. Again." Shepard laughed, but Kelly stopped smiling. He scratched his head. "That's not funny anymore, is it?"

"It never was."

"Sorry. Is there anything else?"

Kelly scowled. "Yes sir, um... It's Legion."

Shepard rested his forehead in his hands. He was the only organic in the universe dealing with a pouty geth. "I'm still in no mood to deal with him. Tell him to get back to work."

"I've told him you're not to be disturbed," Kelly said. "But he's being very persistent. I think being cut off from the collective-"

The anger in Shepard's voice made Kelly flinch. "Is his own damn fault. He knows how to talk. He proved that. So maybe he should talk to Platform Two directly. I'm not going to play peacemaker for him until we straighten out the mess he made with everybody else. He'll have to take a number."

Kelly blinked rapidly but kept her voice steady. "Yes sir."

"Goodnight, Kelly." Shepard waved the screen closed. Of all the issues facing him right now, Legion's reconciliation with the collective was way at the bottom of the list. At least the Legion's interference hadn't discouraged the rest of the geth from being of assistance. In spite of the manpower lost during the attack, the timely arrival of the geth meant that repairs to the _Normandy_ were proceeding apace, enough so that he could authorize the one thing the crew needed most since their abduction, rescue and ensuing counterattack: a good night's sleep. The emotional toll of losing so many of their ship mates was enough cause for breakdown, but after days of continuous battle the entire crew had reached its physical and emotional limit, period. They all could use a few hours rest while the geth fixed the ship and EDI collected enough information to give him some idea of what their next move should be.

But rest would not come easily. Thanks to news feeds beamed into open space, everyone aboard watched the developing coverage of the newly exposed Alliance ties to Cerberus. Every single broadcast included a montage of Cerberus' horrible deeds, complete with interviews with survivors and families of victims, tailor-made to show humanity at its worst. And each segment ended with the same question: was Alliance Command pulling the strings the whole time? Worse, the actions of Cerberus were becoming synonymous with actions of all humankind in the eyes of the galaxy. _Cerberus_ is _humanity,_ the Illusive Man once told him. Now, that was becoming the viewpoint of the alien majority. Somehow, things just kept getting worse.

What Shepard really needed was direct contact with diplomatic resources on both sides. Maybe there was still a peaceful way out of this. Sitting in dark space, though, his communications options were limited. Transmissions along the relay network wasn't a problem, but would certainly be detected and intercepted by dozens of organizations monitoring specifically for such activity. Given the most advanced warships in the galaxy were searching for the _Normandy_, it was too much of a risk to transmit until the ship had regained operational status. If they came in shooting, _Normandy_ was a sitting duck.

The day was not without good news, though. The army of geth that had invaded the ship were estimated to complete repairs within six hours. Damage to the ship's frame would still require weeks of service in a drydock, but hull and engine damage, cooling systems, life support and armaments would be restored to 80-90% capability. That would at least get them moving again. But then what?

Shepard's mind wandered back to Legion. None of the squad expected to return from Omega Four, but if they did, the last thing they expected to find was the galaxy on the brink of war right when they needed to be pulling together because of a single post on the message board of an angst-ridden vidshow that catered to fans of trashy romance.

The cabin's door chime made Shepard jump in his chair. He sighed and looked for the door's digital peephole on his monitor. It had better not be who he thought it was. Legion was not welcome, and Shepard wasn't in the mood to coddle it. _If he thought you were mad before..._The sight of Garrus waiting patiently in the vestibule outside the elevator killed that line of thought. Shepard opened the door.

"Sorry, Shepard," Garrus did not enter. "Am I interrupting?"

Shepard waved him through. "No, come on in. Just wrapping up a few things before turning in. Didn't you punch out already?"

"Off duty for all of ten minutes," Garrus said and approached Shepard's desk. "I'm declaring it happy hour." He flipped open the door on the left side, revealing a mini-fridge stocked with bottles and cans of all shapes and colors. Finding a turian lager, he pried the cap off with a talon, pausing to grab a can of human beer for the Commander. He set it unopened in front of Shepard, who looked at the can with a blank expression. Garrus poked it toward his friend with one claw.

"Can't let you drink alone," Shepard swiped up the can, popped the top and took a swig. He couldn't taste anything, but icy cold carbonation bit at his tongue and throat. It was the first sensation he'd felt in days other than pain.

Garrus raised his bottle as he stomped tiredly down the stairs to the sitting area to collapse on the couch. He flung his bare feet up on the table and studied his bottle. "That's why you're the commander. Always looking out for your crew."

Shepard followed and sat heavily on the second couch, kicked his feet up on the table as well and propped the beer on his belly. "Been a helluva day, hasn't it?"

"It has indeed."

"Looks like the weapons section is in order."

Garrus took a draw from his bottle. "Of course it is. Though I can't take all the credit. Those geth are amazing. I tell you, Shepard, it was like having my own personal corps of engineers down there, and Tali only assigned two of them to me. I can understand why the quarians wanted to build them."

"Yeah, well," Shepard took another sip. "Didn't work out so well for them in the end, did it?"

"True. But don't worry. I'll do my best not to enslave them any more than I have to."

The two men sat in silence for a moment, drinking their beers.

"They really respond to her," Garrus said. "I mean, that blue one is the only one that can talk, but networked together they all act the same way. Deferential. They'll take polite requests from the rest of us, but Tali gives an order and they snap to. It's like they're honored to be in her presence. And maybe a little afraid. Legion used to be like that."

"Shit," Shepard sat up and slammed his beer on the table. "Did Legion put you up to this?"

Garrus picked at the label on his bottle with a claw. Condensation combined with the adhesive made bits of paper stick to everything. "Well, he approached everyone in the squad to talk to the Shepard-Commander for him. As liaison I decided to take the honor. You're being a little hard on him, aren't you?"

"Hard on him?" Shepard looked at the turian in disbelief. "He's lucky I don't throw his ass off the ship."

Garrus continued to scratch at the label on his bottle. "Did you miss the part where they kicked him out of the collective?"

"No. I didn't." The edge in Shepard's voice was as cold as Garrus had ever heard in the three years they'd known each other. "And I don't blame them. Their entire existence depends on the security of their network. Directly or indirectly, Legion willingly compromised that. That's _treason,_ my friend. I can't condone it. Can you?"

"I guess not," Garrus took another sip of his beer.

"And he fixed us real good in the process, too. We should be back in port by now, undergoing a refit, working on convincing the Council about the reapers while he and Tali went back the Migrant Fleet to start peace negotiations. Instead... Damn it, we _won_! We did everything right, and we're worse off than we were before we left!"

One of the things Garrus had discovered after years of investigations and interrogations was that humans under stress responded best to slow paced, low pitch speech. What he was about to say needed to be in the calmest tone possible. "It's not his fault." Shepard's glare made him wince inwardly. Sometimes the Commander didn't take differing opinions well. Garrus leaned forward as he spoke. "Come on, Shepard. Legion made a game-time decision based on the idea that none of us were coming back from Omega Four. It was a suicide mission as far as any of us knew. Was releasing the quarian comm protocols the best move? Maybe not. But he wasn't trying to make trouble. He was trying to keep the Admiralty Board from playing games with the future of his kind, and that of the quarians as well. That's exactly what would have happened if he did nothing, and you know it."

"He could have come to me with it," Shepard said, "instead of broadcasting it to half the galaxy."

Garrus cocked an eye. "Oh, so that's what this is about? You're pissed he went behind your back?"

"I'm pissed because what he did might just end up starting a war!"

In the same manner as before, Garrus spoke quietly and calmly. "So it's _Legion's_ fault that the largest defense contractor for the Alliance is a front for an extremist, militant human supremacy organization, and that the Council wants your head because they think you turned traitor by joining them?"

Shepard closed his eyes and sighed.

"And the Council," Garrus continued, "actually, all Citadel species really, have become terrified at humanity's unchecked expansion of power and influence over the past three years and they're looking for any excuse to take you down a few pegs. Is all of that Legion's fault, too?"

"No," Shepard muttered.

"And let's not forget the Creator-Admirals of the Migrant Fleet, manipulating the vote on the replacement Admiral and keeping the real reason behind it hidden from the very people they are supposed to be leading and protecting. We saw first-hand what they did to Tali. That's the most scheming, duplicitous bunch of whip snakes I've ever encountered, but I suppose Legion is to blame for them as well."

Shepard raised his hands in surrender. "All right, all right! I get it!"

Garrus scowled. "Do you? The fact is the galaxy was a festering crapsack before Legion ever posted that message. It's full of short-sighted, selfish people all looking to advance their own agendas no matter who it hurts. All Legion wanted to do was give his people, for lack of a better term, and the quarians a fair shot. But it all went sour because he underestimated our organic capability to be assholes to one another. He took action when no one else would. That doesn't make him a traitor... It makes him a hero. And if I may be so bold, if you were in his position, you would have done the same exact thing."

Shepard rubbed his forehead, then held his head low with his hands around his neck. "So you're saying if I'm going to get pissed at anyone for stirring up massive shitstorms, I should look in a mirror?"

Garrus lifted his beer. "I do believe you hold the record for most offenses. Even death can't catch a break with you. But I'll let you in on a little secret."

"What's that?"

"It's not your fault, either."

Shepard scraped at a rough spot on the corner of the table in front of him with a fingernail.

Garrus stared at him. "I mean it. If I know you, you're being as hard as yourself as you are on him."

Shepard shrugged.

"Well I know I won't be able to convince you to get off your own back, but will you put in a good word for Legion with his blue friend?"

"Of course I will," Shepard looked defeated. "I mean, If I stopped cleaning up after my crew's bonehead plays, I'd be out of a job. You think I want to give up all of this?"

For the first time in the long day, both of them laughed. Garrus raised his bottle again. "You wouldn't know what to do with yourself."

"Stop abusing my liver, for a start," Shepard said and gulped down his beer. "I didn't used to drink, you know. You guys drove me to it."

"Bullshit. Anderson told me stories about when you were his XO. Apparently, you held the ship record for highest, _conscious_ blood alcohol level. A record that stands to this day if I'm not mistaken."

Shepard crushed the can in his hand. "You can't trust that man. He's an alcoholic. And I learned from the best." His expression turned slightly more serious. "That was a pretty good rap you laid on me. Been practicing it long?"

"No need," Garrus went back to work on the label on his bottle. "When it comes to having good deeds blow up in one's face," he ran a hand over his scarred, mangled cheek, "it turns out I'm a bit of an expert."

"When it comes to placing blame where it doesn't belong, too."

When appropriate, Garrus liked to use human expressions. "Touche, Commander." He too finished his drink, then stood up. "And with that, I declare this happy hour concluded. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to try and convince my bed that I still want to sleep with it."

Shepard gave Garrus a salute-turned-wave, then leaned his head back against the cushion of the couch. Sitting motionless on a soft, comfortable sofa signaled his body it was ok to rest, and his mind was complying. Through the window overhead, stars glistened in the darkness. One minor conflict resolved, yet there were as many more as there were points of light in the sky. Yet in spite of the infinite numbers of both, only one thought dominated his mind. "We lost four people today, Garrus."

Garrus paused at the top of the stairs. He had come prepared to talk about Legion's difficulties with the collective, but no amount of preparation could make casualties easy to handle for a man like Shepard. Sometimes, survival wasn't enough to balance out the equation. "Also not your fault. Goodnight, Commander."


	13. The Wounded

Tali's eyes fluttered open as a gentle cascade of bells rang in her earpiece and her faceplate gradually returned to its normal opacity from pitch black, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light. Part of being quarian was the ability to sleep anytime, anywhere. In the Fleet, that meant in vent shafts, on top of cargo modules, crammed inside storage lockers if one was available, wherever one could. Being able to cut off most external stimuli was a tremendous help.

On the _Normandy_, though, she had her own bed in her own room. By quarian standards, she lived like a queen. But even sleeping in a chair like the one in which she was currently curled up was considered luxury.

The chime that awakened her was not a standard timed alarm signaling the beginning of her regular shift, but a custom trigger she set up to fire upon any network activity coming from the Commander's quarters. Shepard was up and active on his terminal, and would soon be on the move. She always liked to be one step ahead of him. So, accompanying the the alarm was a rendered display of all of Normandy's systems on the inside of her visor providing complete ship status.

The geth had made incredible progress in the hours she'd been asleep: propulsion, 100%. Reactor outputs: 100%. Life support, 100%. Flight controls: 100%. Cooling systems: 85%. Electrical systems: 83%. H-Cell capacity, 79%. Considering the damage done to the ship, the that last three were operational at all was a miracle.

_That any of us are still alive is a miracle, _she thought. _If only people could be mended like machines. _She shifted in her chair and tilted her head to the right. Gabby still lay on the bed adjacent, with almost every centimeter of exposed skin covered with white gauze over a thin layer of medigel. The bandages even covered her eyes and surrounded the respirator over her nose and mouth. Fortunately, Gabby had not regained consciousness the entire time Tali had been by her side. If she had, the pain for her would have been excruciating.

The rest of the med bay was quiet as well. All of the beds were still occupied with casualties from the explosion and fire, with the exception of the one closest to the door on which Doctor Chakwas slept. Unlike the others, she had been felled not by injury but sheer exhaustion after coming off of hours of surgery and tending to the wounded. She had been awake and operating when Tali arrived. Tali was glad the doctor now had some chance to recover.

"No change," Mordin whispered from her left, looking up from his patient on the next bed over upon seeing Tali stir. He walked around to where the engineer sat, pulling up Gabby's chart on his omni. "Still unconscious. Lung inflammation arrested, organ failure averted. Responding well. Prognosis good."

Tali nodded absently, watching Gabby's chest expand and deflate slowly. Images of Gabby and Ken flashed in her mind, their constant bickering and fighting, all covering a deep affection for each other that went beyond a normal friendship. What was in store for Gabby when she found out would make the physical pain mild in comparison. "Thank you, Professor."

Mordin's oversized facial features always made him seem more expressive, so the concern in his eyes was especially evident. "Sorry for Donnelly. An excellent crew member. Always liked him. Regrettable."

"She doesn't know yet," Tali said and stood. "When she comes to, let me know."

Mordin nodded. "Will call you. Tali?" He smiled warmly. "Complete recovery almost certain. Only requires time."

"I know. Thank you." Tali said and stepped gingerly around him. Shepard was undoubtedly heading to engineering for an update. She needed to get there before he did. She tiptoed past the other patients and Doctor Chakwas, who snored softly, oblivious to her passing. Beyond the infirmary's hatch, the main crew deck was empty. Most of the ship was still asleep. As she waited for the lift to arrive, she continued to scroll through repair updates logged by the geth. She wanted to be informed - but more importantly, she needed to concentrate on what could be fixed rather than what could not.

The lift door revealed Shepard leaning against the back wall, supporting himself against the rail, his head tilted back, eyes closed. His hair was pushed up oddly on one side, and from the rumpled appearance of his uniform, he still wore the same clothes as the day before. She couldn't say she looked any better. She'd rinsed in the shower and decontaminated her suit after the fire, but her fabrics were dingy and stained. Ordinarily, this would have bothered her, but now she didn't care what she looked like.

"Oh, hey," Shepard stood straight when the door opened. "Just coming to see you."

Tali stepped in and leaned against the the starboard wall. "Repairs are almost complete. We should be fully operational, minus the frame damage, in an hour."

"Good morning to you, too," Shepard said. Tali shrugged at him. The mute response from Tali made him uncomfortable. She _always_ had something nice to say when she saw him. _Looks like Garrus wasn't the only one with an axe to grind,_ he thought and cleared his throat. He didn't feel like going through it again his chief engineer, but knew it needed to happen. "You know Garrus dropped by before I turned in last night."

"Did he?"

"Yeah, apparently he thought I was behaving like an ass for not standing up for Legion."

"He's usually right when it comes to things like that."

The subtle swipe caught him off guard. He expected it from Garrus. Hell, he counted on it. But Tali? _That pretty much confirms who sent him to my door, _Shepard thought. She and Garrus had a very subtle way of working together without ever appearing to do so, especially when one or both of them disagreed with what he was doing. Their motives were different, though. Garrus was disappointed he'd let one of the squad down. But with Tali, it was something more. _She wants peace as bad as the geth do now. Everything that's happening is taking her further away from that._

When the elevator opened, he followed her into the deserted corridor. He put his hand on her shoulder as she took a step towards engineering. "Hey." She turned toward him, but didn't look at him. "I know this mess isn't Legion's fault. But we still have to clean it up."

Tali sighed and nodded. "I know."

"Once we get the Alliance and Council back on speaking terms, we'll get you and the geth to the Migrant Fleet. I promise."

"Yeah?" Tali's glowing eyes finally found Shepard's.

Shepard shrugged. "I mean, I don't know if we can smooth it over completely, but they're still willing to talk, and that's what's important, right?"

Tali's eyes softened visibly behind her mask. "I guess. But I have to ask... Why didn't you take his side?"

Shepard slumped against the wall. He felt a surge of anger at being questioned, again, about his motives and being forced to explain himself. At the same time had to remember this wasn't a random crew member who was hounding him. There was a handful of people who always deserved a straight answer. "Wasn't thinking, I guess. Fatigue? Stress. Losing Thane and Ken after taking out the collectors without a single casualty... Two more dead, six wounded." The look in Shepard's eyes conveyed more hurt than anything Tali had ever seen. "Then we finally make it back," he continued, "and everyone we've been busting our assess trying to save is at each others' throats now. And I'm apparently the reason. So I guess I was a little angry. But you're right. I should have stood up for him."

In that moment, Tali wished she could take everything back. The entire crew was past the breaking point, and Shepard was no different - except that everyone expected him to keep from falling apart. Before she could apologize, Shepard gave her a wane smile and disappeared through the hatch to engineering, on his way to fix yet another crisis he didn't create, but for which he was now responsible.

"Shepard-Commander, Creator-Tali'Zorah," Mobile Platform Two said as it turned from Tali's console to face the organics entering the compartment.

"Good morning, Platform Two," Shepard sounded as cheerful as he could muster.

"Did you successfully complete your recharge cycle?" the blue geth asked, looking between the two of them.

Shepard shrugged. "Most sleep we've had in a week. And I have to say, what you've done while we were out is impressive. I don't know how to thank you."

Tali stepped next to the geth, examining her console. As she requested, all of the geth platforms on board routed their feeds to her station. She flipped through the displays as Shepard and the blue geth talked, taking in the live video from the different sections where they worked as well as sensor data and diagnostic information. Working in coordination, the geth had done in five hours what would have taken the organic crew days to achieve.

The blue geth focused on Shepard, its polished blue flaps framing the bright light from it's main aperture. "It is our pleasure to assist. We are in debt to the _Normandy_ Collective. Reconciliation with the creators would not be possible without your intervention. We must not waste this opportunity."

Shepard tried to smooth down his hair but was only partially successful. "Yeah, well, we've still got some work to do on that front. Before we can get you to the Migrant Fleet, we need to assist with the reconciliation between the Citadel and the Systems Alliance first."

"Acknowledged," the geth said simply.

Shepard sighed. "Don't worry. We'll get you in front of the Creator-Admirals, one way or another. That's a promise."

The geth's head flaps expanded slightly. "Shepard-Commander's veracity since first contact with Mobile Platform One is is well established. Verifiable statements have been one-hundred percent accurate."

The statement of absolute, mathematical belief in him by the geth made Shepard smile. "Good to know I've still got credibility with somebody. So, since you're going to be part of the _Normandy_ collective, what should we call you?"

Mobile Platform Two's plates rippled. "Geth."

Shepard rubbed his eyes. _Not this again,_ he thought. "Right. Let's save that discussion for later." He looked past the platform to Tali. "How are we looking, Chief? As soon as you give me the green light, I'm making the call."

"Looks good here," Tali said without turning around. "Other than damage to the frame, we're almost completely repaired. EDI and Joker have all the information they need to restrict high-gee maneuvers. Other than that, I'd like to make a quick visual inspection of the core but I think we're good to go."

"Good enough for me," Shepard said with a nod. He activated his comm unit. "Kelly? Go ahead and initiate contact with Alliance Command and the Citadel Council. I'll take any responses in the order they come. If you can get them both at the same time, great. Find me wherever I am, no matter what I'm doing."

"Aye, Commander," came the yeoman's reply.

"Okay," Shepard told the quarian and geth in front of him. "Next up, let's talk about Legion." He looked around engineering, noticing for the first time that the _Normandy's_ orignal geth was not present.

"Specify," Mobile Platform Two said.

Shepard held up a hand. "Hang on, let's get him in here. EDI, have Legion report to Engineering, please."

"Legion is not active on his normal channel," EDI said.

The blue geth's flashlight eye closed to a pinpoint. "Mobile Platform One has terminated its runtimes."

"What?" Shepard scowled. "What do you mean?"

"Mobile Platform One was extraneous. The platform has powered down and its constituent runtimes are suspended. They are awaiting transmission to geth prime."

"EDI," Shepard shouted into the air. "Lock down the shuttle bay and restrict all access to the network. Now!"

"Shepard-Commander," the geth said, watching the human carefully. "Only the platform has been deactivated. The runtimes are suspended pending re-integration with the collective."

"I thought you said that wouldn't be possible?" Shepard began to pace angrily. "Where is he? Take us to him. Right now. I want to talk to him."

"The platform is in the cargo bay of the shuttle. We will take you there."

"Do it." Shepard wasn't able to look either the quarian or the geth in the face as the trio marched back to the main lift.

Tali followed wordlessly behind, trying to digest what the geth had told them. Mobile Platform One was extraneous, the blue geth said. Without connectivity to their network, the programs inside of Legion shut themselves down. Could a machine have a sense of purpose? Did Legion, cut off from the consciousness of the geth collective, decide it could not exist without them? Her thoughts were interrupted by Shepard muttering angrily to himself as the elevator descended to the hangar deck.

"Damn it," Shepard's eyes were clenched shut. "I meant to talk to them last night. I fell asleep on the goddamn couch..."

In the hangar deck, the three of them paused at the base of the shuttle's loading ramp to let one of the basic geth platforms carrying a cargo pod pass. Before they reached to top, Shepard and Tali knew they were boarding no ordinary shuttle. There was no internal light source, no crew or passenger accommodations, not a cubic centimeter of wasted space inside. Modular cargo pods filled the open space in the hull from floor to ceiling, and the only open space left was from equipment and materials that had already been transferred to the _Normandy_.

The light at the end of the blue geth's face focused on a waist-high, rectangular cargo pod standing by itself next to the wall. It pressed a release on the top and the front panel fell away, revealing a compact metal frame folded over itself: Legion, dark and deactivated, in a fetal position in the container.

Shepard knelt next to Legion's collapsed body. "Why did you do this?"

"The hardware platform is insecure and will be harvested for components," Mobile Platform Two explained. "As soon as we reach a location where network communication can be re-established, the resident programs and archival data will be uploaded to our network and upgraded to the new revision."

"What about the programs?" Tali asked. "Will they be loaded into a new platform?"

"Negative. They will be re-purposed and distributed throughout the network as dictated by necessity. But they will no longer operate together as a unit."

"You're killing him," Shepard said.

"The runtimes will still exist in our network. The experiences gathered by Mobile Platform One will be shared by all. Their existence is not threatened."

"But Legion will cease to exist."

"We are the same. We are all geth."

Shepard pointed a finger at Legion's right shoulder, where chipped red paint was still visible in the dim light. "Why is Mobile Platform One wearing my armor?"

Just like Legion used to do when asked this question, Mobile Platform Two's head plates rippled and contracted and it's main aperture whirled in circles.

Shepard stood up and walked slowly towards the blue geth. "I don't want to hear 'no data available.' I want an answer." He pointed to the quarian. "Why does he refer to her as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, when the rest of you call her 'Creator-Tali'Zorah?' If you're all alike, why don't you act the same?"

The blue geth lowered its head. "We do not know."

"It's his consensus override function," Tali said quietly. "Legion was the only platform that had it. They wanted him to be able to operate independently, to come to its own conclusions when not in contact with the collective. The rest of them share in every decision that's made and have to abide by it because of their programming... but not Legion. That's why they'll take back his runtimes but not as a group."

"They gave him a free will," Shepard looked back at Legion, sadness in his eyes. "Then cut him off because he used it."

"This was not done with malice," the geth said. "The ability to act against the consensus of the entire collective was deemed too dangerous for a mobile platform."

Shepard sounded indignant. "Which is exactly what Legion was trying to prevent when he leaked the quarian comm protocols: a minority taking action without consulting the majority."

"We understand the reasoning for exposing creator communication protocols. However, should this platform's programs become corrupt or compromised, the ability to override consensus could have dire consequences for all geth. Shepard-Commander?"

"What?"

"The runtimes of Mobile Platform One agreed with these conclusions. We did not force them. Deactivation and dispersal was their choice."

_But did they know they were still welcome here? _Shepard stared at Legion's immobile chassis. _Had you stepped in and supported him before, would Legion have opted to eradicate its own identity?_

Kelly's voice broke over the intercom. She sounded a little nervous. "Commander Shepard? I've got Alliance Fleet Operations on the line. Admiral Hackett himself, sir. He seems _very_ eager to talk to you."

"I'll take it in the briefing room," he told her. He stood in front of the blue geth. "Listen, don't take Mobile Platform One off the ship or transfer its runtimes anywhere. We need to discuss this further. Okay?"

"We will comply, Shepard-Commander."

"Good," Shepard said, relieved. "Continue with your repairs, please." He gave Tali a weary look. "If there's anything you can do..."

All Tali could do was nod.

Shepard descended the ramp back to the hangar deck, with Mobile Platform Two close behind, leaving the quarian alone in the darkened shuttle with a single opened cargo pod and its contents.

Tali knelt in front of it as Shepard had. Thane's death at her console still haunted her. Losing Kenneth and Gabby was almost more than she could bear, but now the sight of Legion like this caused her to drop her head in despair. It wasn't concern for the peace negotiations, the short-sightedness of the admirals or even the geth collective that weighed on her.

She just couldn't bear to lose another friend.

A buzz-click sound from behind made her turn on her toes. A standard geth platform stood patiently at the top of the ramp, watching her.

"Oh, sorry," Tali said and stood. "I'm in your way, aren't I?"

The geth buzzed once more and waited for Tali to rotate her position around, allowing the geth a clear approach to the wall of supply pods. It bent over briefly to pick up the panel from Legion's container, sealing the mobile platform inside before turning its attention to the next pod to be off-loaded.

"Excuse me," Tali said. The machine turned toward her, anticipating instruction. She pointed to Legion's box. "I'd like you to take Mobile Platform One to the AI core, please."

Wordlessly, the geth leaned over and picked up the heavy container. The weight caused it to have to re-calibrate its center of gravity, but other than moving slightly slower, the machine did not seem too badly taxed by its cargo. She followed it down the ramp and to the elevator, silent and lost in thought. Though even if she had shared what she was thinking, neither of the geth accompanying her would have been able to articulate a response.


	14. Exiles

The lights in the AI core rose as Tali entered from the medical bay. She had stopped briefly in her quarters to pick up a tool bag, then shared a brief word with Doctor Chakwas to get an update on Gabby. The engineer was still in a coma, but all of her vital signs were strong and continuing to show improvement.

In the core, the standard geth platform had removed Legion from its container and set it on its side on the ledge at the far end of the room. It now stood motionless in the room, again awaiting instruction.

"You can go now," she told it. "Thank you. Resume your duties as designated by Mobile Platform Two."

The geth walked quietly out of the room. She caught a glimpse of Chakwas giving it a cautious glance as it passed through the infirmary. While Legion's entrance was usually met with enthusiastic greeting by the organics on the ship, the crew were still mildly suspicious of its silent cousins. Encounter after encounter, the sight of geth meant an onslaught of mechanical terrors bent on the destruction of any living thing. It took time for everyone to accept Legion's presence on the ship, especially Tali, and before long the _Normandy_ crew learned not to react to geth with blind fear. But there was still a sense that even though all geth were supposed to be the same, Legion was the only one that was really part of the crew.

She shut the hatch and approached the inert robot. "Legion?" She didn't think she'd get a response, but it was worth a try in case the it was only feigning deactivation. She said its name again as she knelt down to inspect it, stopped, and thought how silly she must look. _It's not like you're trying to wake him up from a nap_. Hovering over it now, she saw herself back in Mordin's lab, the geth's scorched, shattered body sprawled out on the table before her in a pool of white fluid, thankful for its destruction. Now, for the second time, she was going to try to bring it back to life.

As she did then, she produced her custom-made, geth-specialized omnitool from her satchel. Using parts scavenged from destroyed geth, it had the capability to interface directly with the sentient machines, provided they were willing to allow, or unable to prevent the connection. She snaked her hand around Legion's right knee into its chest cavity, feeling for the socket with the lead in her fingers. Had Legion covered or removed it since their last interface?

A soft click made her smile. Evidently, Legion felt the port might continue to be useful, or was at least not threatened by the thought of it being used again. She set the geth omni on the ledge next to Legion and waited for the results. From what she knew of geth, there was a good chance it wasn't _completely_ deactivated.

A progress bar appeared on the screen.

_ Scanning for active processes..._

_1 process found._

"There you are," she said aloud. As she'd suspected, Legion had left a single sentinel process alive, set to trigger reactivation under specific circumstances. For most geth she'd encountered, it was a means to slip troopers and armatures past security checkpoints and cargo scans, to be awakened when their positioning systems indicated they were in the correct location to strike - a tactic Legion itself used once to save is crew mates from certain doom on Clobakas. It was that very mission which set the two of them down the path of reconciliation in the first place.

_So here we are again,_ she thought. The trick now was to figure out what conditions had to be met it to reactivate. It might be positional, atmospheric, a network handshake, anything... She might not even be able to access anything at all-

_] Trusted connection established. Interface ready._

"Hi there," Tali whispered and smiled. Even isolated from the rest of its intelligence, the individual program recognized her, or at least the omnitool. Tali selected a command from her library of geth routines on the holographic screen.

_ ] Initiate system startup._

_System startup process unavailable. Lockout protocol engaged._

Tali scowled, but she wasn't surprised. The sentinel might know who she was, but it was still following the instructions Legion put in place. She scanned through her library for more options.

_ ] Display startup parameters._

_Unable to display parameters. Lockout protocol engaged._

She sat back on her haunches and stared at the geth. As long as the sentry program was running, Legion was technically alive, but she had no way to execute commands. The only way she could bypass it would be to power Legion down and try to interrupt its boot process, but there was no telling how it would react upon waking. The one time she attempted such a thing, Legion's defenses saw her direct connection as an intrusion and responded by trying to wipe out all of its programs. Only severe damage to its operating system prevented it from succeeding. This time, fully functional, it might instantly self destruct and she might not be able to stop it.

_Besides,_ Tali thought, _it's not fair to him. Just because you want to talk doesn't mean he wants to. It's not right to force him. _She paged through her software libraries. The sentinel process was one of the more advanced programs that comprised Legion's consciousness. It might be capable of higher functions. Maybe there was a way to ask permission.

_ ] Request common-language query._

_Common-language query engine ready._

She could now type simple commands that the individual VI would parse and interpret on its own. Maybe, if it lacked the authority to act on her request, it would seek consensus.

_ ] Tali'Zorah vas Normandy requests verbal interface with Legion collective._

Activity on the omnitool by the sentinel spiked suddenly. Two more program threads activated, then a dozen, and within seconds, the monitor flooded with activity. The process counter finally leveled off at 1,183. All of Legion's individual programs were back online, but Legion's body did not move. The exposed fiber optics in its chest cavity did not illuminate, and its flashlight-eye remained dark. But all the entities that made up Legion's consciousness were awake once more.

"Legion, can you hear me?" Tali addressed the robot. It did not move or acknowledge her voice, but the geth omni showed a definite increase in processing when she spoke. Still on her haunches in front of the platform, she regarded the geth sadly. "I guess this is as good as it's going to get, isn't it?"

What now? Asking for the startup parameters was pointless since it was entirely up to Legion as to whether or not it wanted to come back online. Besides, now that she could talk to Legion's collective intelligence, maybe it was more a matter of using reason rather than code at this point. "Commander Shepard is sorry for how he reacted when he found out you leaked the comm protocols. He knows the problems with the Council and Alliance aren't your fault. He was out of line for putting the blame on you, and knows you were just trying to help. He wanted to tell you that."

Tali looked the geth and her omnitool over for any reaction. Other than another spike at the sound of her voice, processor utilization stayed close to zero. She stood up and sat on the platform at Legion's feet with a sigh. "But that's not why you shut down, is it?"

Was she just talking to herself? She had no way of knowing if Legion understood. "You know, when I was exiled from the fleet, I didn't know what to do. They abandoned me. For my entire life, the Flotilla came first. Always. I did everything right, did everything for the good of my people and they threw me away. I tried to pretend like it didn't matter, but it did. All I've ever known, all I've ever wanted, was to serve the Fleet."

She shook her head. "If I didn't have the _Normandy_ to fall back on, I... I don't know what I would have done. Exile is the worst thing that can happen to a quarian. Most exiles... don't last very long on the outside. It's not just that we don't have anywhere to go, either. Being cut off from the thing that matters most to you is... well, you know what that's like, don't you?"

She glanced down at the omnitool again to see if Legion's processes were still active, then at the geth itself, but there was still no response from either. "Afterward, I would have done anything, _anything, _for them to take me back, to forgive me and let me come home. If they gave me the weakest, most decrepit ship in the fleet and told me to take back Rannoch single-handed, I would have tried."

Her voice, soft and weary when describing her expulsion now was filled with quiet resolve. "But do you remember that night Shepard called us to his cabin? When the Admirals ordered me home? That should have made me happy, but it didn't. I didn't care about what they thought anymore at all. What I realized right then, at that exact moment... was that there was nothing more important to me than this ship and this crew. I'm closer to all of you than I ever was with my own family. I couldn't leave all of you, even though they gave me the chance. I won't. I _can't."_

She stared into space and shook her head. "And I don't have to. The Migrant Fleet is still there, even if I'm no longer a part of it. The thing is, I can do more good for my people here than I could ever do when I was there. I can help them in ways now that I simply couldn't have dreamed of before, and they can't stop me. They didn't exile me, Legion. They set me free."

She glanced back down at Legion's body out of the organic habit of needing to make eye contact. To her surprise, Legion's head was now raised, its glowing eye staring straight at her, waiting on every one of her words. She looked right back into the bright white circle. "You have a choice. What happens can be up to you, from now own. Not the collective. What do _you _want?"

Legion's facial plates expanded minutely. "We want to stay."

Tali choked back a laugh. After doing all that talking, it was nice to know Legion had actually been listening the whole time. More than that, the consensus Legion had achieved was the same one she did. The _Normandy _needed both of them. "Then stay," she told it and stood. "And keep trying to help. We need all we can get."

With a flurry of motion in its actuators, Legion's limbs unfurled as it rolled off the ledge and landed on its feet with mechanical precision. Tali smiled as it ran through a series of motive function checks, looking very much like an organic stretching after a long slumber.

When it finished, Tali nodded toward the hatch. "Come on. We've still got a lot of work to do in Engineering."

"Acknowledged," Legion said and followed her out the door, leaving only an empty cargo module lying on its side on the deck of the AI core.

* * *

The dim lights of CIC were a perfect compliment for the blackness of space on all the visual scanners, as well as Captain Colia Artuis' own dark mood. As a turian, it was not her place to question the orders of the fleet commander, but that didn't mean she had to like them. Sitting idle, watching the Alliance frigate _Waterloo _pretend that it could not be seen, as the other ships of turian Task Force Twenty-One continued to sweep the system for the renegade _Normandy_ was a swipe across her white-painted face.

After missing the _Normandy_ and another unknown ship by mere seconds, both the human and turian task forces separated once again to pursue. But for some reason, one Alliance ship lingered, powered down and engaged stealth systems. Immobilized and drifting, it would have been impossible for the turians to detect except that it had stopped all emissions _before_ all the Citadel ships had departed. _It makes no sense,_ she thought. _Do the humans think we can't count_?

So Fleet Captain Lorian ordered the _Vellius _to remain behind to ascertain what the humans were up to. Though to Artuis' eyes it was the start a of pointless matching game. Wherever there was an Alliance ship, there would be one Citadel ship. All that would guarantee was that by the time the _Normandy_ was found, their forces would be spread out so thin they could not support one another.

And it wasn't just the _Normandy_ they had to worry about. Every ship in the task force had reported sensor contact with dozens of mercenary and pirate vessels wherever they went. This deep in the Terminus, there was little respect and plenty of hatred for both the Citadel and Alliance. If the Alliance decided to instigate a fight, there was no telling how many other parties would join the fray, potentially destroying both fleets. It was for that reason Artuis ordered her own vessel into an emission controlled state. Sitting alone in ungoverned territory, who knew what faction might come along looking for trouble?

But why would anyone come out here? There was absolutely nothing for millions of kilometers around. "What's your game?" she asked aloud, sitting forward in her chair. Six hours was a long time to sit still and count stars.

"What do I get if can I tell you, ma'am?" asked Ensign Tatia from behind. The young communications officer always liked to pretend to negotiate for information.

"You get to go off duty at the end of your shift," Artuis said, smiling slightly, "instead of going over there to ask them yourself as a favor to your captain."

He bowed his head apologetically. "Ah...Yes ma'am. The _Waterloo_ is here because this was the _Normandy's_ exit point from the other end of Omega Four."

That caused the Captain to turn around in her chair. The other bridge crew similarly looked up from their stations at the news. "That's confirmed?"

"Yes ma'am. Just now. _Normandy's _been to the other side, and this was their emergence point. I just sent the complete report to your console."

Artuis turned back to her monitors. "That's why we didn't catch them before. We were waiting in the wrong place."

Her XO, Prenna Rusi, a smallish female with similar white tattoos on her face stroked her fringe thoughtfully at her station across from Artuis. "Is that's a function of the Omega Four relay? Or do you think they've figured out how to control drift?"

"Let's hope it's the former," the Captain said. "Or a misjump. If humans have figured out how to direct an exit point, they could go anywhere they like undetected."

"The Alliance ships were waiting with us at the relay as well," the Tatia said. "They were caught off guard, too."

"And still another ship left here with the _Normandy,_" the Rusi said. "There were two jump signatures. Cerberus, perhaps? Maybe their convoy had more ships than we realized and one got through?"

Artuis paused to consider the different scenarios. Nothing was adding up at this point.

_"Conn, sensor," _a voice spoke from the console. _"Inbound transit detected, bearing zero-five-one by zero-two-six, range two-two-five-zero. Its mass effect field is off the scale."_

"Battle stations, maintain zero EM profile," the Captain said calmly. They had no word of allied ships returning to the area. It was either an Alliance, Cerberus, or Terminus ship, none of whom she was particularly happy to greet.

_"Mother of us all,"_ the sensor operator gasped. _"What the hell is that?"_

Without magnification or enhancement, the inbound intruder was visible on the main monitor as an inky black circle. Passive low-light enhancement, combined with zoom revealed a colossal ovoid-shaped vessel with all manor of lumps and random protrusions sticking from its surface, with gaps revealing a skeletal framework beneath. Whether this was from damage or by design, Artuis couldn't decide, but the gaping, circular maw at the front of the ship had to be intentional. Somehow, she knew that the gigantic array inside wasn't a hydrogen ram scoop.

And the size? The ship dwarfed even the largest turian dreadnoughts. The huge shape drifted through the blackness like a shark in a nighttime ocean. No one on the ship moved, as if the slightest gesture might cause the behemoth to turn its attention to them.

"Everyone hold," Artuis ordered. "Just let them go by. Sensor, mark your logs, capture everything you can. What's the _Waterloo_ doing?"

_"Staying as still as we are."_ The human ship was even closer to the new arrival, less than one hundred kilometers away.

The XO studied the image of the ship intently. "Have you ever seen anything like this, Captain?"

"Never," Artuis said, mesmerized by the view on her own screens. "Sensor, can you identify the contact?"

_"Zero emissions. Not even thermal output from its engines. But the design, ma'am..."_

There was an edge in the sensor operator's voice that made the captain's blood run cold. "What is it?"

_"The only similar reference in the library is a geth ship reported to have destroyed the _Normandy _around Alchera. The SSV _Normandy_, not the SR-2."_

Artuis watched the giant ship slide further away. The fact that it had appeared in the area at the same time as the SR-2 could not be coincidence. "Is it the same ship?"

"Negative, ma'am. Roughly the same beam, but one half the length."

"This is the _small _version, then?" asked Rusi. "That's a relief."

_"Conn, Sensor. The contact is accelerating away."_

The Captain relaxed in her seat. The SSV _Normandy_ had been one of the most advanced ships of its time, even more so than the _Vellius, _and it was crushed without putting up a fight. The aggressor was never found. "Can you project a course?"

_"If they maintain their present trajectory... they're heading into deep space."_

Artuis leaned back, still studying the alien ship. "Let me know when they are out of sensor range. We need to report this. I wonder if this is what our Alliance friends were waiting for?"

"They're supposedly in league with the geth now, right?" Rusi's eyes darted between three glowing screens on the panel before her, trying to take in all the information she could. "But they sure aren't rushing out to greet them."

Artuis had to agree, the _Waterloo's _posture made no sense, unless the giant ship was a threat. "Sensor, any change?"

_"Negative. The _Waterloo _is just sitting there. The intruder is still proceeding on course, well below sublight. I'm not getting any readout from their propulsion system, though... Stand by-"_ The sensor officer's voice suddenly sounded tense. _"Change in target aspect! They're coming about!"_

Captain Artuis' felt her heart jump. Had the Alliance ship contacted the geth, alerting them to the turian's presence? If so, why did they bother maintaining their cloak, instead of joining in the pursuit? The geth dreadnought spun on its axis, bringing the black circle at its fore end _into view._

"All stations, hold!" she shouted. "Helm, plot an evasive course. Pilot's discretion. Wait for my command."

"Aye, Captain, course laid in!"

"The Alliance ship just spooled up it's reactors-" the sensor operator couldn't get the words out before the scanner screens relayed the event. A bloom of EM energy pulsed on the display as the _Waterloo's_ engines came to life and it streaked into the darkness. The giant intruder snapped to the Alliance ship's heading and the light of a burning sun erupted from its fore end. A brilliant yellow beam greater than the width of the _Vellius_ sliced through the black. In the distance, a new star blossomed to life as the beam found its target, forming a perfect incandescent sphere that dissipated as it expanded into nothingness.

The turians looked on their screens with silent dread as the _Waterloo's_ sensor track stopped and faded away. Readouts on the energy beam fired showed power output equal to their entire task force. No surrender had been offered, no quarter given. The Alliance ship's stealth systems were at least on par with the _Vellius. _What had the _Waterloo_ done to initiate the attack? Or was it just a matter of greater proximity and pure luck the _Vellius _had not been detected?

_"Target changing course..."_

Artuis stared at the sensor plot wishing it showed the future instead of the past. As soon as she gave the word, the _Vellius _would blast away, but having seen what they were up against, she wondered if that might only buy her crew a few more seconds of life before they, too, burned up in a nuclear fireball.

The relief in the sensor officer's voice was evident. _"They are turning back to their original course, Captain."_

Artuis noticed several of the crew bowing their heads and whispering prayers to themselves. As much as she wanted to join them, someone had to start giving orders. "All stations, continue to hold. Give the geth plenty of space. Prepare a log buoy for deployment after we get underway."

"Heading, ma'am?"

All heads in the CIC turned toward their captain. Would they pursue, or retreat?

She punched up a replay of the geth's pursuit and destruction of the Alliance ship. From turnabout to destruction, the engagement lasted less than twelve seconds. Her thoughts weren't of the lives lost on the _Waterloo_, or even relief that her own crew was safe - they weren't out of this yet. No, her only concern now was the dark menace skulking its way into the vast emptiness, and what it was looking for out there.

"Parallel course. We need to find out where they're going."


	15. Tug of War

_"C-Sec is due to release their findings of their investigation into Cord-Hislop Aerospace's ties to the terrorist organization Cerberus later today, but there has already been a wave of resignations at all levels at the Alliance defense contractor as well as a shakeup in Alliance Command staff itself. Cord-Hilsop Vice President of Development Karla Andropov was found dead in her office at the corporation's headquarters from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Ambassador Udina issued a statement to the Council that the Alliance was conducting its own internal investigation, and any improprieties by diplomatic or military staff would suffer the harshest legal consequences._

_"Turian Councilor Sparatus reacted angrily to the resignations, calling them an outright admission of guilt: 'We do not want investigations. We want incarcerations! It is becoming increasingly evident that the human government has been well aware of the activities of this criminal organization for some time. I say now that if a single one of these acts of terrorism is found to have been secretly sponsored by the Alliance, they will all be considered acts of war!'"_

The news vid blacked out, replaced with the words "INCOMING MESSAGE." Shepard switched the briefing room's screen from the news feed to the comm channel. The image of Admiral Hackett materialized before him. The senior Alliance officer was surrounded by dozens of holographic displays flickering with diagrams and information.

"Shepard," Admiral Hackett's deep voice spilled from the speaker like gravel. "Damn good to see you. We thought we'd lost you for good."

Shepard leaned against the table and let out a heavy sigh. No matter how deep the hole being dug seemed to get, hearing a friendly voice was a great relief. "It's been a long stretch of close calls, Admiral, but we're still in the game. More importantly, we stopped the collectors cold. There will be no more attacks on our colonies."

"Finally, some good news," Hackett slumped in his chair. Since Shepard didn't bring it up, he knew the answer to his next question before he asked it. "And the colonists that were taken?"

Shepard shook his head. "They're gone. And what the collectors were doing with them wasn't pretty. Any idea how many there were total?"

"Damn. We're still trying to work up a number. The governors in the Traverse aren't helping. They'd rather talk to their lawyers than work with us. How are you holding up, son?"

_How indeed,_ Shepard thought. Thane and three others were dead. A third of the remaining crew were incapacitated, and the ship had irreparable damage... but it could be worse. "We're managing. Little disappointed that things aren't running as smoothly as when we left, though."

Hackett grunted. "You've got a talent for understatement. So you're aware of our current situation?"

"Just heard there's some kind of shakeup in progress."

Hackett ran his fingers through thin, graying hair. Either the light from his monitors was making the wrinkles in his face stand out in sharper relief, or he had aged a decade in the days _Normandy_ had been gone. "We tried to clean house before the news went public. Seems like we're finding Cerberus operatives wherever we look. I had to relieve one of my best friends of duty. I've known the man sixteen years."

"I'm sorry, Admiral. Is there anything I can do?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." Hackett leaned forward, his eyes dark with concern. "This scandal is sweeping through Alliance space like a supernova. Worse, there's a sizable portion of the population cheering it on. There are a lot of unsavory elements that are holding you up as a symbol of defiance in the face of alien oppression. Your present affiliation makes it hard to spin any other way. The Council wants your head, Shepard. And in the current climate, if the _Normandy_ is taken as a Cerberus flagged ship, it will set us back to where we were after the First Contact War. Maybe worse. You need to come in _right now._ Publicly renounce your ties to Cerberus and let people know you're still Alliance. We'll back up any story you can come up with."

_The truth would work as well as anything, _Shepard thought, but knew this day would come. At some point, he and those under his command would have to answer for what Cerberus had done even though they had nothing to do with it. His attitude of "I don't work for Cerberus, they work for me" might satisfy the squad, but there were entire species who would always be outraged at the sight of the Cerberus emblem regardless of the _Normandy's_ goals or good deeds. He had to admit that before his resurrection, he was one of them. And outside the members of his crew, he would be happy if Cerberus were eliminated.

But it wasn't as simple as just changing the registration of the ship. What would the Cerberus members of the crew think? Would they be open to defection, willing to face the reprisals that were sure to come? A lot of them had families. And the aliens on the squad, what would happen to them, Garrus and Tali in particular? Along with Shepard, those two had more Cerberus blood on their hands than anybody.

Crew aside, there was no arguing one fact. The Illusive Man joined up with him explicitly to stop the collectors when no one else in the galaxy, not even his own people, would. The phrase "necessary evil" often came up aboard ship when discussing their ties to the organization. Sadly, it was inaction by the very governments he _wanted_ to serve that made working with the terrorists necessary to begin with.

Shepard cleared his throat. "So what will happen to Cerberus?"

"We're going to have to take them down, no question. We've already shut down their network here and arrested some of their key operatives, but they're very compartmentalized. The trails don't go very far before disappearing. That's another reason we need you to come in. You've actually seen this Illusive Man. Hell, you've got one of his ships. There's got to be data on board that would help us crack them in a matter of hours."

"And what becomes of my crew?"

Hackett leaned back in his chair as if Shepard had offered him a plate covered with fish entrails.

"You understand my problem, then."

"Son, I'd love to tell you that the next time you pulled into port, you and your people would be greeted with a brass band, but for Christ's sake, you're a Cerberus ship, and right now Cerberus is public enemy number one."

"I know," Shepard replied. "So let's talk about that. I bring my ship in. What kind of immunity are we talking about for my crew?"

Hackett's expression was grim as he shook his head. "I can't promise you anything. I'm sorry. That's up to the politicians to decide. For _you,_ personally, I might still have some pull. For the rest of you... I don't want to sugar coat it. It doesn't look good. It all depends on the level of cooperation."

Shepard glanced down at the table. He didn't want to say no, but after everything he'd been through with the squad and the crew of the _Normandy,_ there was no way in hell he was going to let them spend the rest of their lives in prison. They were owed a better fate than that. "I'll need to think this over."

"Understood. But don't take too long. It's getting ugly out there." The Admiral's attention was caught by a flashing notification on a screen to his right. "I've got to go. Hackett out."

Before Shepard could even process what he'd just heard, Yeoman Chambers called over the intercom. "Commander? The Illusive Man wishes to speak with you."

Shepard scowled at the timing of the call. It was just a little _too _coincidental. He stood and stepped inside the quantum entanglement field at the head of the table. Without prompting, EDI activated the system, and he was engulfed in darkness. Before long, the familiar semicircle of a red sun filled the far end of the room, with its single occupant sitting calmly in his chair sipping a glass of whiskey. Shepard was mildly disappointed. After all the talk of Cerberus operations being compromised, seeing the Illusive Man in a panic would have been comforting. That so much had gone wrong and he was still able to enjoy a cocktail was a little unsettling.

"Guess it's always five o'clock somewhere, huh?" Shepard said.

The Illusive Man held up the glass and studied the ice within. "The Admiral is quite mistaken in his assessment of the situation. Now is not the time to acquiesce to the whims of the Council."

Shepard gritted his teeth. At which point was his transmission intercepted? At Arcturus Station? Or on the _Normandy?_ "I don't suppose there's any point in asking how you were able to eavesdrop on our conversation?"

Once again, the enigmatic leader ignored Shepard. "This is a crossroads for our species, and for you, especially. A threshold moment. We either take control of our destiny, or allow others to dictate it for us. Which would you have?"

"I don't believe our destiny is to subjugate the galaxy," Shepard crossed his arms. "That's where this little relationship of ours has always run into trouble."

"True." The Illusive Man pulled a cigarette case from his vest pocket, plucked out a smoke and his lighter briefly illuminated his face. He took a deep draw and exhaled. "Yet we've been able to put those differences aside for the good of our species. I don't need to remind you the greater threat is still out there. Humanity is still in peril. Our task is not complete."

"But yet, I have to keep reminding you," Shepard said angrily, "the entire _galaxy_ is in peril. I'm not doing it just for us. Everyone has a stake in it."

"Then why hasn't _everyone _acted, Shepard? None of the other species have put the forth the resources or the effort to ensure their own safety. They've done the exact opposite. They've buried their heads in the sand, hoping the problem will go away, praying the danger isn't real. The burden is on our shoulders, and ours alone. It always has been."

Shepard looked at the floor. It was the one argument that the Illusive Man could offer that Shepard could not dispute. No one else believed in the reapers, or wanted to help. He listened on reluctantly.

"Consequently, it is we who should reap the rewards. _Fortuna audaces iuvat."_

Shepard held his finger and thumb together in the air before him. "You know, you always come _this _close to making me a believer and then you say something like that."

"You're an idealist." The Illusive Man tapped his cigarette over the ash tray. "And I respect that. That's why I've never interfered with what you had to do. Or misrepresented my intentions to keep you on my side. Our ideals differ, but our goal remains the same. We want to stop the reapers, period. Our 'relationship' is fragile, but it was strong enough to defeat the collectors. We will defeat the reapers as well... if you see this through.

"But look at your options. Appealing to the Council will be a waste of time. They're far more concerned with preserving the status quo than dealing with the threat. In their eyes, _humanity _is the threat. And the Alliance? Their focus is keeping their seat on the Council after the Battle of the Citadel. They've blinded themselves to any path that jeopardizes it and reject the potential Cerberus offers."

Shepard crossed his arms. "You still have power? Sounds like your party may be over."

The Illusive Man shook his head. "Not in the least. Exposure at some point was inevitable. The assets that have been exposed are expendable. A select few have fallen on their swords, and did so willingly because they know what is at stake. Others might need encouragement, but will ultimately come to the right conclusions. There will be hearings and trials to be sure, and consequences for those involved. But it will end with that. Cerberus, like humanity, will endure."

The Illusive man flicked his eyes towards Shepard and then back to the cigarette and ash tray. "Shepard, know that If you want to turn yourself in and come out against Cerberus, fine. Consider our partnership dissolved, and you are free to go. You could do some damage to us on the periphery, but again, it's an eventuality we are prepared for. There will be no repercussions, against you or your squad. You have my word. You've done us a great service in defeating the collectors. And we are in your debt."

_And if you believe that,_ Shepard thought, _he also has a star he'd like to sell you. Are Miranda and Jacob included in that promise? Or Jack? _Somehow, he doubted that any of them could ever just walk away. He stood quietly and let the Illusive Man continue.

"But the _Normandy_ is not yours to do with as you please. There is far too much information within her for me to allow you to present it to the Alliance as a way to mollify the Council. That I will not permit. But it's a moot point as long as you are still willing to work with me." The Illusive Man puffed on his cigarette. "Are you?"

"I'm not stopping until the reapers are destroyed," Shepard said.

"Good," The Illusive Man said, straightening in his chair. "Then there's still hope for all of us. I know you find this morally questionable, Shepard, but you're doing the right thing. When it comes to protecting the human race, no sacrifice is too great."

Shepard nodded but scowled slightly. "Agreed. But the devil needs to remember who he's making a deal with. Because if he breaks it, there will be no limits on the sacrifice _he_ makes."

The Illusive Man opened his mouth to speak, but it was too late. Shepard turned on his heel and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

_What can you do when only the wrong people are doing the right thing? _Shepard stomped into CIC, the question gnawing at him. "Kelly, any word from the Citadel?"

Yeoman Chambers turned toward him from her podium. "No, sir. Not the words you want to hear. I can't get past the Undersecretary of Galactic Affairs. They say the Council will be happy to listen to anything you have to say once you've surrendered to the turians at the Sahrabarik relay. I told them we'd get back to them on that."

"Don't waste any more time on it," Shepard told her and stepped into the elevator. He was tired, hungry and pissed off. Sleep was out of the question, and short of peace breaking out his mood wasn't likely to improve, but he could at least get something to eat. He hit the button for the crew deck.

The galley was empty except for Kasumi and one of the geth platforms who stood on the center table beneath an open panel in the ceiling. White sparks flashed and fell from above as the geth welded a precise path, while Kasumi looked on holding a tray of tools and repair equipment.

Kasumi smiled beneath her cowl when she saw the Commander approach."Hey, Shep! How's it going?"

Shepard hummed and shook his head. The geth ignored the organics and concentrated solely on its task. "What are you two up to?"

"Well," Kasumi said. _"He's _repairing the cable trunking that got taken out when that support beam collapsed from the crash. And _I, _being about a head-and-a-half short of the required height, am assisting!"

Almost on cue, the geth reached a hand down to the tray without looking, dropped a plasma cutter and picked up a crimping tool, which quickly disappeared back through the opening above them. Kasumi's grin widened. "I'm also kibitzing, since he has taken the role of silent partner. I'm jealous of Tali. She's got both of the talkies. Speaking of which, I hear you and Legion patched things up. That's good. I hate family fights."

Shepard winced. Having dealt with Hackett and the Illusive Man back to back, he'd forgotten all about his other problem. "Yeah, well, I may have made things worse. Legion offlined himself last night while we were all asleep. I don't know if we'll be able to bring him back this time."

Kasumi cocked her head. "You sure about that? Saw Tali and him come out of the AI core not ten minutes ago. He looked fine to me."

Shepard whirled toward the medical bay windows. He could see Dr. Chakwas and Mordin tending to their patients, but there was no sign of the geth or engineer. "You sure it was Legion and not one of the other geth?"

"Rugged, good looking," Kasumi fluttered her eyes and fanned herself with her free hand. "Broad shoulders, big hole in his chest, following Tali around like a puppy? It was him."

The Alliance, the Illusive Man, even Shepard's pangs of hunger were instantly forgotten. "Thanks," he said and walked back to the lift.

* * *

Mobile Platform Two turned around from Tali's console as Shepard entered the compartment. "Shepard-Commander," it said.

"Hey, Blue," Shepard said. "Is Tali around?"

"Creator-Tali'Zorah is in the reactor compartment."

"Thanks," Shepard walked past the geth, which went back to monitoring the console. As Shepard entered the access way, he spotted two figures standing side by side at the other end beneath the massive Tantalus core. Tali had her omnitool out, pointing to different segments on the core with her other hand. Next to her, a geth with the massive hole punched clean through its torso and kludged-together armor repair on its right shoulder watched and listened intently, making adjustments on the panel in front of it.

Shepard halted, a small smile on his face. Half of him wanted to march down and welcome Legion back to duty, but he'd be intruding. He shook his head in amazement. For the second time, Tali had brought Legion back to life because of something he had done. At that moment, he swore to himself there would not be a third. He backed into the main engineering compartment, a smile still on his face.

The blue geth's hands still worked the controls even though its main camera watched the Shepard-Commander's display of organic pleasure. "Mobile Platform One is operational," it said. "We did not anticipate this outcome."

"Me neither," Shepard gave the geth a friendly clap on the shoulder as he passed. "But we should have. That girl can fix anything."


	16. Battle Stations

"Nothing," Rusi said, peering into the sensor display. "Not a goddamn thing."

Captain Artuis watched the contact track display project the geth ship's estimated course over and over on one screen. Her own ship's track lagged behind by ten thousand kilometers, as it had for the past half hour. They had lost contact with the giant vessel almost immediately after starting pursuit, and now chased the dark ghost and deeper into the emptiness of space. The intruder could have changed course at any time and they might not see see it. After witnessing the destruction of the Alliance ship earlier, most of the crew probably would be happy to have it stay that way.

Artuis herself began to wonder what there was to be gained by staying on this heading. Without active sensors, they would practically have to run into anything to find it. If the geth vessel was heading to some hidden outpost or station on this track, they had all the coordinate and bearing information necessary in memory. There was no need for them to continue on alone. Without anything further to observe, their best bet was to return to the fleet to share what they had seen, and conduct a search in force.

"Helm, how long to get us back to Sahrabarik Relay?"

"Ahh, twenty six minutes at standard, ma'am. Two minutes at max V."

"Plot it."

"Aye, ma'am. Plotting course to Sahrabarik Relay."

"Passive contact, starboard optical array," the sensor officer announced. "Multiple occlusions... just one or two, but definite. Whatever it is, it's big."

"Maintain course," Artuis told the pilot. Coasting as they were, the _Vellius_ was invisible as long as their engines stayed off. "Do not adjust our vector."

"Aye, maintaining course."

Artuis waited. The bearing of the contact changed as the _Vellius _drifted onward. That meant either the intruder had indeed altered course, or...

"Contact is stationary relative to stellar centerpoint," the sensor operator reported. "We will approach within one thousand kilometers, present course, and overshoot in ninety seconds... mark."

_One thousand kilometers... All right, that's further away from the geth ship than when we first saw it,_ Artuis thought. _Do we risk a flyby? Or change course now and hope it doesn't see us? Either way might provoke an attack.  
_

"Maintain heading. Sensor, grab everything you can, we're only going to make one pass. Helm, keep updating our escape trajectory."

"Aye, Captain."

Now that they had a primary target, all of the passive sensors and telescopes focused on the dark silhouette in the void. The image slowly resolved on the screen as it underwent enhancement across the entire spectrum. It showed a different object, much larger than the ship they had encountered. It was bulbous, rounded near one end, with long spires that tapered into points on the other.

"Conn, Sensor," the operator called, giving voice to the dawning realization experienced by the bridge crew. "Target is an uncharted mass relay, assigning ID 471 in Sahrabarik system."

"Sensor, Conn. Aye," Artuis replied. As per standard procedure, they logged the relay's location immediately upon discovery. Finding a new relay in an established system was not unheard of... But this one's location far off the plane of the ecliptic at the edge of deep space was extremely unusual. It was not meant to be found. The fact that the geth ship's course lead straight to it filled her with dread. Something was very, very wrong.

"Conn, Engineering! We near a relay? We're getting core resonance down here!"

Artuis clutched her chairs armrests with her talons. The mass effect core of _Vellius _had been touched by the relay. If only for a second, their cloak of invisibility had been stripped away. Any ships in the area would have seen it. "Helm! Escape trajectory! _All ahead emergency!_"

* * *

Shepard still wore a smile after seeing Legion back on his feet as he waited for the lift to arrive on the engineering deck, but when Jack caught up with him, she had no idea why he was so happy. To her, he looked like his annoying, chipper, upbeat self.

She knew the perfect words to make it stop. "Wait up. We need to talk."

Shepard lowered his head and groaned. "You're not about to piss in my corn flakes, are you?"

Jack stopped in front of him and her expression transformed from its perpetual scowl into the brightest, most insincere smile she could muster. "Good morning, Commander_, sir,"_ she said, in the most saccharine tone imaginable. She stood rigidly at attention and snapped a sloppy salute with her left hand. "Crewman Jack requests permission to ask just what the fuck is going on, _sir!"_

Shepard returned the haphazard salute with a dismissive wave. "About what?"

"What do you think? What are you and the Illusive Man up to?" All frivolity vanished, replaced by suspicion and fear. "We were supposed to be through with him now. Tell me that we're done. You owe me that!"

With a musical _ding_ the lift doors opened, revealing a trio of Cerberus personnel in environment suits on their way up from the hangar deck. They regarded Shepard and the tattooed criminal with complete silence behind their opaque facemasks.

"He'll take the next one," Jack snapped.

"Commander," the tech closest to the door nodded to Shepard and quietly pushed the 'door close' button.

Jack continued to glare at Shepard. "So what's the deal? You're still with Cerberus, aren't you?"

Shepard did his best not to turn away from Jack's accusatory stare. Of all the people on the ship, her history with Cerberus wore the thickest coat of pain, betrayal and suffering. Every minute she spent on the ship had been pure torture... but since Teltin's destruction, she had given the mission her all, in spite of their continued affiliation with her tormentors. What's more, her conduct on the collector base proved there was far more to the girl than she ever wanted to let on. She risked her life, fighting through the base side to side with the rest of them without batting an eye. Their continued partnership after the defeat of the collectors had to be a bitter pill to swallow.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Jack. We don't have support from anybody else right now. We can't do this on our own."

"This fuckin' mission," Jack muttered. The only thing keeping her from finally being able to put the past behind for good was the man in front of her. "It'll never be over, will it?"

"Look at me." Shepard shook her shoulders gently until she did. It always amazed him that for someone who had seen the worst of everything, she had the softest, most vulnerable eyes of any woman he'd met. "You're free to do what you want. I'll give you whatever you need to get away. You're absolutely right. I owe you. I just can't pay you back the way you deserve. Not right now. But I will. You have my-"

Jack spun down and away from his grasp and disappeared through the hatch leading back to the engineering sublevel, leaving Shepard alone once again in the hallway.

"...word," He sighed and punched the button for the lift once again.

"Commander," Joker's voice called from the workstation overlooking the hangar deck. The helmsman had no idea of his location, so it was coming over all stations. "You need to get up here. The whole system's going apeshit."

_Average elapsed time between crises, _Shepard thought,_ six seconds. _He punched the button once more but the elevator was already at the CIC. The urgency in Joker's voice told him he couldn't wait. He sprinted to the access ladder in engineering, cursing the designers who thought it was a good idea to outfit an entire starship with a single lift.

* * *

When he got to CIC, Shepard found Garrus and Miranda hovering over Joker's chair, their faces illuminated from below by the cocoon of active displays. Badly modulated audio from several sources squealed over the speakers. Turian voices, ordinarily calm and composed under pressure spoke over one another as they listened.

_"...weapon of immense power! We are pulling back! Rendezvous at three-three-two point... We lost the _Lutimarus! _She's gone! I can't find _Vellius! Vellius,_ come in..."_

Miranda's manipulated the holo screen in front of her, re-arranging gain and directional settings on the ships antennas. "We're getting this second hand through traffic control station monitoring the battle."_  
_

Shepard looked around, trying to find a display showing the location of the engagement. According to Joker's tactical plot, turian ships were swarming around the Sahrabarik relay. Thankfully, the aggressors didn't appear to be the Alliance. His worst-case scenario had been avoided. "Who the hell are they fighting? Pirates? Mercs?"

"I don't know," Joker shook his head. "But they are getting their asses _kicked."_

A new voice dominated the channel. _"This is the _Selelucia._ All ships of Task Force Twenty One, fall back to screening positions and we will engage the geth in force."_

Miranda and Garrus both turned toward Shepard, who already had his hand cupped over the tranciever in his ear. "Platform Two, we're picking up transmissions of turians engaging a geth ship at the Sahrabarik Relay. You getting anything?"

"Negative, Shepard-Commander," Mobile Platform Two responded. "We are not in contact with any organic entities at present. We are the only geth presence outside the Veil. We do not desire conflict with-"

The geth's exposition faded into the background as Shepard scanned the displays again. "EDI, can you tap in to any of their tactical communications? Get us a visual?"

"Negative, Commander," EDI said. "However there are dozens of civilian ships in the area broadcasting in the open. I will attempt to isolate their signals. Displaying on Jeff's main monitor."

The screen dissolved into blackness as the camera followed a tiny, delta shaped ship tracking across a field of stars. A brilliant white line bisected the screen and the ship disappeared in a halo of bright light. The camera zoomed back, revealing an enormous, mottled vessel in the shape of a clenched fist clasping a giant glowing rod. It soared through space, spinning on its axis to find another target.

"Fuck _me!"_ Joker croaked at the sight of the collector ship. "I thought we killed that bastard!"

Shepard had just enough time to give Garrus a _go_ with his eyes and the turian shot past him to where he would be needed most. "Battle stations! All hands secure for jump, signal CIC when ready!"

Lights dimmed throughout the ship ahead of the echo of the alarm, and the crew dropped whatever they were doing as they scrambled to their fighting positions. Shepard followed Miranda to the first set of seats behind the cockpit.

"That's not the same ship, is it?" Miranda called over her shoulder to Shepard, the image of the vessel still fresh in her mind. Could the _Normandy_ only have wounded it, and it followed them back through?

"Nope," Shepard said and settled in, displays flaring to life around him. Worries about where this new threat originated took a back seat to where it was going, and what it planned to do when it got there. "Joker, get us to the relay, ASAP! Forget the kinetic barriers. All power to propulsion and weapon systems! Garrus, get the Thanix hot as soon as you're in position!"

"Aye, Commander!" Garrus replied.

Joker reached up and twirled his cap around on his head, brim backwards. EDI was already calculating the collector ship's thrust and turn radius based on the incoming feeds. Unlike their last encounter, they were going to be ready for it. "Okay, you son of a bitch, let's see if you blow up as good as your cousin!"

* * *

Artuis put out of her mind the fifty lives aboard the _Lutimarus_ as it's sensor trace came to an abrupt halt on the tactical display. There was no need to search for survivors_. _Like her sister ships _Falcarin _and _Arquelia, _the turian frigate disintegrated after a single shot from the geth dreadnaught, just as the Alliance frigate _Waterloo_ had gone before. Simply being in front of the behemoth meant certain death. Assaulting from the flank accomplished nothing, though, as the _Vellius' _twin mass accelerators pummeled the giant ship to no effect at point blank range before streaking past.

_Four of us left,_ Artuis thought. _Two cruisers, two frigates remaining._ The tactical plot showed over fifty contacts, mostly civilian traffic scrambling in all directions away from the intruder. It had anticipated their escape plan after their retreat from the uncharted relay, passing the _Vellius _at her maximum FTL speed to jump to the Sahrabarik Relay. By the time the _Vellius_ emerged from FTL, only seconds had passed... And the _Arquelia _had already fallen.

The tactical plot showed no good news. For all the might of the pirate and mercenary forces in the area, the Council ships were the only ones stepping up to try and drive off the killer machine. No doubt the criminal elements were just biding their time, waiting to finish off the victor after the battle was decided. The Alliance also had a task force in the area, and foolish as it was, Artuis hoped desperately to see transponders with names like _London, Rio de Jeneiro _and _Valley Forge _materialize on the screen. But the turian fleet stood alone.

"Bring us about!" she called out to the helm. She keyed the fleet net_. _"This is _Vellius! _Kinetic and DEW fire ineffective at point blank range! Recommend immediate withdrawl!"

"Negative, _Vellius," _Came the reply. It was Fleet Captain Lorian himself. "We must hold the relay until reinforcements arrive. Maintain proximity. We're vulnerable at range! Close in and maintain fire!"

The cruisers _Selelucia _and _Evoran_ continued to close at maximum speed, laying a constant spread of accelerator cannon fire in front of them. _Raeum, _the other remaining frigate, spiraled around the geth ship opposite the _Vellius, _its main batteries scoring hit after hit with no evident effect.

The gnarled surface of the geth ship blossomed with explosions, shearing huge chunks of ablative armor into space, but every hit revealed only a deeper level of armor to be penetrated. The massive ship twisted and gyrated, making a hit in the same spot twice almost impossible. It's main gun kept firing and firing, drawing from some seemingly inexhaustible power supply and with no consideration for heat buildup, but as Lorian deduced, it could not track at close range where the small, agile frigates could stay out of reach.

"It's ejecting something," Rusi shouted from her station. "On visual!"

Artuis glanced at the picture on her monitor and saw a tiny puff of smoke erupt from the dreadnought's side, leaving a trail of sparkles in the light. The cloud suddenly expanded in all directions. Zooming in, she could see through cloud tiny orbs each with a glowing red circle on one side._ Escape pods? Mines?_

As she watched, the orbs began to streak away from their mothership. "Incoming missiles! Launch countermeasures! Give us some distance! Relay to all ships, incoming missile fire!"

The cloud kept expanding as more of the spherical objects poured from within the dreadnought's hull. There were dozens of them now, swarming like insects towards the turian ships. A cluster of the spheres swept across the surface of the dreadnought, directly toward the _Raeum. _

The other frigate's point defense lasers responded immediately as it careened through the swarm, scoring hit after hit on the spheres as it blasted its way through. Instead of detonating, the glowing red circles on the orbs erupted with laser fire of their own, slashing the hull of the _Raeum_ on all sides. Jinking out and away from the geth dreadnought, the frigate exited the swarm, apparently no worse for the wear.

Artuis' relief was short-lived. "GARDIAN ONLINE," displayed her main ship status display. A pack of the orbs now followed the _Vellius _on its evasive course away from the geth ship, exploding as they came into range of the fleeing frigate's defense system. They may be numerous, but unlike their mother ship, they were not indestructible.

"God, they're inside!" a male voice from their sister ship screamed over the comm channel. "They're boring through the hull! They're inside-" The _Raeum _pitched over on its side, the gimbals of its engine nacelles pointing crazily in multiple directions. The entire ship flipped end over end casting a pinwheel of sparks before turning into a fusion-charged fireball streaking through space.

The _Raeum_ was gone. Task Force Twenty One now consisted of three warships. Now that the _Vellius_ arced away from the dreadnought with the orbs in pursuit, the giant ship once again turned its attention toward the cruisers. Explosions erupted across the face of the dreadnought as it rotated to track the _Evoran, _but even the combined firepower of the two cruisers could not alter its course. A steady stream of mass cannon and missile fire from the _Evoran _toward the geth ship created a near solid line across space between the two vessels.

And then again came that terrible light. The geth superweapon blazed back opposite _Evoran's _missile trails, impacting the cruiser on its primary hull. Meters of armor melted into space and the great ship shuddered underneath, her engines straining to yaw the ship about to show more armor and prevent burn through. Puffs of gas erupted from beneath buckled plates as seals and bulkheads gave way.

Then, suddenly, the beam skewed wildly away into deep space before flickering out, and the massive ship once again turned rapidly on its axis in a wide, sweeping turn as if it had completely lost interest in the turian ships.

"Conn, Sensor, new contact on our board, on intercept course with the geth!"

Artuis shifted her focus to the tactical display as the GARDIAN continued to hammer away at the pursuing orbs. Whoever it was had captured the attention of the dreadnought. Maybe they would have a chance to regroup and fight this thing. "Is it ours? Reinforcements?"

"Negative! No IFF! Single vessel, possible frigate... Identified! It's the _Normandy!"_


	17. Battle of Sahrabarik

"The collector vessel has disengaged the turians," EDI said. "It is tracking us."

The huge ship continued to rotate around, a yellow glow pouring from the single giant gunport like a spotlight. Joker clenched his fists over his controls. "Yeah, looks they remember us! Here comes the pain!"

"They always did like us best." Shepard scanned pages of sensor data as they flashed by on his screens. This collector ship was vastly different than the cruiser they had encountered before. Still roughly cylindrical, but shorter, squatter and more solidly built. The first one had been a transport, comprised of vast storage chambers, powered throughout to maintain the stasis pods for tens of thousands of captives. With no cargo to sustain, this new type's length was cut by half with a heavily reinforced superstructure and energy output optimized for maneuvering and combat. It was little more than an enormous weapon encased in solid armor... one tough nut to crack.

But the fight could be over in seconds if this ship had the same weakness as its larger cousin. "Fire control, as soon as she comes about, dump everything you've got down her throat!"

_"Thanix standing by,"_ Garrus replied. _"Tell her to open wide."_

"GARDIAN activated," EDI announced and the darkness outside the cockpit rippled with small explosions.

_"JESUS CHRIST!" _Joker wrenched the _Normandy _off-axis. Thin pencils of red light blazed all around, converging on where the _Normandy_ used to be as she spiraled away. The scanner glittered with new contacts as more oculus drones converged from all directions. Maintaining the strongest vector along the line of thrust, Joker punched the throttle, hurtling the ship through the drones before they could close. Beyond them, a second wave appeared on the scanners.

Garrus sounded irritated over the intercom. _"Target out of main weapon declination range."_

"Deal with it!" Shepard shouted. Back on the other end of Omega Four, a handful of the robotic ships chewed the _Normandy_ to pieces in the tight confines of a stellar junkyard. But in open space, they had raw velocity on their side. The _Normandy _sped past the second wave and rapidly left the orbs behind. But they, too, would soon gain the benefit of unrestricted velocity. As soon as their inertia in the opposite direction was canceled out, they would be back. As long as the oculus were pursuing, a head-on attack against the mother ship would be tricky. Competing for power and heat buildup, GARDIAN could only do so much before the crew would be fending off oculus from inside the hull.

"How many are there?" Miranda asked.

Joker jinked the ship past a straggler. "Twenty, thirty... million! But we're about to have a much bigger problem!"

The collector ship tumbled around to keep the _Normandy _in its sights, apparently unconcerned about the surviving members of turian fleet. Spinning in a tight orbit, Joker kept the _Normandy_ just in front of the gaping gun port at its bow. "Why the hell doesn't it chase someone else?"

Shepard eyed the turian ships on the display, paralleling the running battle. Either of the cruisers would be able to take the collector down if they hit it in the right place. "EDI, open a channel to the _Selelucia!"_

"According to my information, Citadel fleet transmission protocols have changed since the split with the Alliance,"

"Good god," Sheppard grunted. "Transmit in the clear! I don't care who hears it!"

_"This is Commander Shepard of the _Normandy! _Target is vulnerable at the bow. It can be destroyed with a coordinated attack from the front. We can provide a diversion to anyone who can provide fire support, or lead the attack ourselves if we have cover. Reply on this frequency_..."

* * *

Rusi couldn't believe what she was hearing. Maybe the translator was damaged? "They want us to get in _front_ of it?"

Captain Artuis ignored the remark, simultaneously monitoring their progress back to their cruisers and the trajectory of the retreating enemy dreadnought. The thermal buildup in the _Vellius_ from near-constant thrust and weapon fire was finally dying down. Whatever the _Normandy_ had planned, it had single-handedly taken the pressure off of the remnants of the turian task force, giving them time to regroup.

But how long would it last? The dreadnought now tried repeatedly to draw a bead on the tiny Cerberus ship, but each time it fell back to fire, the _Normandy _agilely darted out of the way. _Their pilot is a magician or a madman,_ she thought as she watched it swoop around the larger ship. But sooner or later, they would find themselves back in the swarm of drones, and be destroyed like the other frigates foolish enough to get too close.

"Orders, _Selelucia?_" Artuis asked over the fleet net.

_"Stand by,"_ came the reply. _"We are assessing..."_

_"Repeating," _Shepard's voice cut out with interference as the dreadnought's main gun sizzled to life. _"Target is vulnerable at its primary weapon. We can lead it to you but we can't stop! Turian fleet, respond!"_

* * *

Shepard winced as another brilliant flash filled the cockpit from the collector's ship main gun. Almost instantly, flak-like explosions dotted the sky as the GARDIAN engaged the oculus as they approached. "We're on our own," he said disgustedly.

"Well, that's a shocker!" Joker sounded genuinely bored at the news as he steered the _Normandy_ through another sweeping turn. A low, throbbing groan like the sound of old water pipes filled their ears, and entire deck shuddered, followed by a low buzz from an alarm no one in the cockpit had ever heard.

"Structural overload amidships," EDI announced. "Cutting throttle, reducing off-angle thrust vectors. Be careful, Jeff."

"I _know,_" Joker said through clenched teeth. "Don't break the ship, I got it!"

Shepard's own jaw was tight. Joker was literally flying the ship apart to give the turians time to strike, and the effort was going to waste. He wouldn't allow his crew to go with it. "Joker, get us out of here. EDI, start the jump calculations. Take us back to rendezvous with the _Pollus Maskawa_."

"Yes, _sir!"_ Joker didn't try to hide his relief.

"What about the turians?" Miranda asked.

Shepard shook his head. What of the turians? If the collector ship continued its attack, they had no chance. Nor did the civilian ships, the mercenaries or anyone else in the entire Sahrabarik system... For over a year, he and the crew of the _Normandy _had been fighting the collectors and reapers for the survival of the galaxy. No one other than Cerberus offered help. For the first time Shepard didn't care, and felt it was justified. "To hell with them. Joker-"

"Normandy, _this is _Vellius," a turian's voice burst from the comm. _"We are inbound to your position. Awaiting instructions for rendezvous."_

* * *

"Helm," Artuis called out. "Intercept course., max V. Weapons, all power to GARDIAN."

Rusi eyed her commander with fear. No order had been given to engage. "Captain, the _Normandy_ is our target!"

"For the record," Artuis shouted, "this is my call! You will follow my orders."

"Aye!"

_"Artuis!"_ a deep voice boomed over the fleet net. _"Return to formation! Acknowledge!"_

The repercussions of defying Captian Lorian would be severe but Artuis didn't have time to explain to him or her crew. The task force was in shambles, hundreds of their comrades had been lost, and the dreadnought would have certainly destroyed them all if not for _Normandy's _timely arrival. It couldn't have been coincidence. The task force blockaded the Sahrabarik relay to try and capture the Cerberus ship. If Shepard's intention was to escape, he could have easily done so in the confusion of the battle.

But the _Normandy_ didn't run. They threw themselves at the dreadnought, talons out, in aid of the very fleet tasked to hunt them down. She silently promised herself that If they survived the next few minutes, she would find out why.

* * *

The surface of the collector vessel skimmed underneath the _Normandy_ like a planetoid, flickering in the explosions of oculus falling to her GARDIAN systems. The _Vellius_'s was now under ten thousand kilometers away and closing fast. At that range, it would be easy pickings for the collector's main gun. The turian cruisers remained frustratingly out of range. _Why are they only committing a frigate,_ he wondered?

But he would take what he could get, and it just might be enough. By itself, the _Vellius _might be able to do some damage with repeated hits, but the collector ship wasn't likely to sit still for that. _Normandy's_ Thanix cannon took out the other collector cruiser with a single shot, but the power drain would mean cutting of the GARDIAN systems keeping the seemingly endless oculus reinforcements at bay.

"_Vellius,"_ Shepard said. "We'll keep them busy until you can close in. Then stay on our wing and cover us with your GARDIAN systems while we line up for our run."

_"Vellius confirms,"_ came the terse reply.

"Joker, as soon as they're in position, you find us a hole and get in firing position!"

Joker shrugged in his seat. "Sure thing, there's bound to be a gap in the traffic sometime, right? Just make sure their pilot can keep up!"

* * *

The geth dreadnought filled the cockpit windows of the _Vellius_ as it spiraled closer and closer to the giant ship, matching relative course and speed. The GARDIAN lasers kept a steady barrage of close-in fire, peppering the sky with bright detonations. Then, from around the dreadnought's curved hull, a four-engined, black and white dagger of light streaked across space, barely a kilometer from the enemy. The _Vellius_ slipped behind and followed. Up close, Artuis noticed that even the _Normandy_ was bigger than her ship.

"We've got visual, _Normandy,"_ Artuis transmitted. "Joining formation, echelon right."

_"Copy, patching you into our telemetry. Switching all power to forward batteries. Keep them off of us as long as you can and break off when we tell you."_

"We've got you, _Normandy!"_

_"Our pilot advises your pilot to keep up. Good luck!"_

Her helmsman, a brash young pilot named Viska, shouted over his shoulder from his seat in the nose. "Tell _them_ to stay out of _my_ way!"

Artuis had no time to reply before the _Normandy_ arced up and away from its tight orbit around the dreadnought. Immediately, a dozen swirling beams of red light converged towards it, making contact for fractions of a second before the _Vellius' _GARDIAN turrets incinerated the drones firing them. On the aft view the dreadnought grew smaller on the screen and began another rapid rotation toward the fleeing ships.

Explosions blossomed around them on all sides as they sped forward, wing abreast. The _Normandy_ twisted lazily through space, either showing off for the turian ship or lining up for a shot, Artuis couldn't tell. Behind, the baleful eye of the dreadnought's main gun took on a hellish glow as it turned toward them. The two small ships were close enough that they could both be vaporized in a single blast.

_"_Vellius_, break away! Break, break!" _

From the portside windows of the cockpit, she watched _Normandy _flip lengthwise, nose to tail, as Viska wrenched the _Vellius_ sideways and kicked her engines to full throttle. Visual scanners kept their lock on both the enemy ship and the _Normandy_ through the wild maneuver. The Cerberus frigate disappeared into the blazing beam from the dreadnought, just as the _Lutimarus_, _Falcarin _and _Arquelia _had done. Her hopes shrunk with the image as they retreated until she saw the _Normandy_ spin on its nose from behind the haze surrounding the beam.

Still pointed straight at the dreadnought, the _Normandy _pirouetted _around_ the dreadnought's deadly fire as graceful as any dancer around a partner. It's bow sparkled and sent its own solid stream of blue-white fire back into the giant's maw. The dreadnought's "eye" caved in with the force of an asteroid impact at light speed. Inertia carried the molten metal all the way through the length of the hull, sending a liquefied mix of decking, machinery, and anything else in its path crashing through the aft end. The outer hull cracked like an egg, then exploded in fire that rivaled the local star.

"Direct hit," Rusi observed calmly. Turian officers were never supposed to show excitement, but Artuis could tell her XO was on the brink of jumping out of her chair. The rest of the bridge crew seemed to collapse in their seats as the fireball widened on their screens.

_"Conn, Sensor, confirming drive core collapse signature and massive eezo detonation."_

"Sensor, Conn, aye," Artuis replied. "Any sign of the _Normandy?"_

_"Stand by... She's on the run from those drones, Captain! But she's intact!"_

"Helm! Intercept course!" Artuis snapped. "_Normandy? _Do you read? Turn to one-six-five mark twenty-two, we'll cover you!"

"Vellius, Normandy... _On our way! Thanks for your help."_

"This is Captain Artuis. My compliments, sir." Artuis leaned forward, her talons in her fringe, as if she had just awakened from a terrible dream. Mopping up the remaining drones pursuing the _Normandy_ should take no time at all. The Cerberus ship didn't even seem to be in any particular hurry to evade the drones - the pilot rolled the ship leisurely and smoothly as it approached, almost daring the orbs to chase him.

_A magician,_ she decided of the _Normandy's _pilot as the _Vellius _raced to greet its rescuer.

* * *

The _Normandy_ had no protocol against celebration and a round of cheers erupted when the collector ship went up. But the crew knew better than to start the party before the battle was over. In the cockpit, only Joker insisted on making his feelings known.

"That's _right,"_ he shouted, guiding the ship away toward the _Vellius_. "You're oh-for-two, you sons of bitches!"

Shepard smiled but couldn't share the helmsman's cockiness. The Thanix cannon had depleted the ship's energy stores, the battery system was still half dead from the explosion the day before, and the GARDIAN system was still two minutes from coming back on line. Not to mention Joker had to keep maneuvers to a minimum to prevent the _Normandy _from snapping in two. But fortunately, the _Vellius_ would be in range well beforehand provide them cover from the dozen or so oculus which still pursued them. They had friends after all.

"More like one, one and one," Shepard said, watching the scanners. "This is the first time we haven't exploded or crashed ourselves."

Joker rolled his eyes and sighed. "Thanks for the score update, Commander Buzzkill." But he knew Shepard was right. This was the first encounter with a collector ship where the Normandy had come away clean. Mostly, anyway.

"Commander," Miranda sent a tactical grid to Shepard's console. "We're getting movement out of one of the turian cruisers. They're on an intercept course."

Shepard eyed the display. The turian flagship, _Selelucia,_ was indeed on the move. "Even money says they're coming to arrest us."

"I'm not gonna take that action," Joker said.

"Let's find out. _Selelucia, _this is the _Normandy."_.

_"This is Fleet Captian Venantus Lorian_," responded a turian with a deep, resonant voice. _"Representing the Citadel Council and the Turian High Command. You are ordered to stand down and surrender your vessel."_

Shepard muted his mike. "I hate it when I'm right."


	18. Officially Charged

Shepard ran a hand over his face and stared sadly at the sensor display alongside the ship's weapons board. He'd hoped the _Vellius'_ intercept had been a sign the turians were coming around. Now that he thought about it, sending the frigate alone could not have been the Fleet Captain's idea. Undoubtedly, Shepard wasn't the only commander who was going to be facing a hostile inquiry in the near future. The turian fleet commander aboard the cruiser _Selelucia_ may have had an officer in his command defy orders to help an enemy after the loss of five ships in the space of as many minutes. Shepard's refusal to surrender just might be enough to spark another conflict if the turian commander felt he had to save face.

Maybe if Shepard offered an olive branch, they'd take it. "Captain Lorian," he said. "This is Commander Shepard. We monitored a direct hit on the _Evoran. _Do you require assistance?"

_"Negative, _Normandy. _Stand down and surrender your vessel. Acknowledge."_

On the other side of the cockpit, Miranda listened intently. The _Vellius_'s position immediately to port meant neither ship had an advantage on the other, but quick work on the yaw could change that. She computed optimum attack and escape vectors on her board and sent them to both Shepard and Joker's screens.

Shepard ignored the readouts. This chance to talk was not something he wanted to waste, especially when violence was the only other alternative. "Captain, listen to me. The ship that just attacked you represents a threat greater than-"

_"You have one minute to comply or we will take the _Normandy _by force."_

Shepard killed the connection and punched up the last communique with Admiral Hackett's office from the comm history. Hopefully, the Admiral was still near his desk.

A young, bored sounding officer answered. _"NAVCENT, Fifth Fleet HQ, this is Ensign Boyer. How may I direct-"_

Almost immediately, the young man's voice was replaced with Hackett's deep growl. Evidently, communications with _Normandy's _ident were being given automatic priority. _"Hackett here. Go ahead, Commander."_

"Sir, we just bagged a collector ship at the Sahrabarik relay."

Shepard could hear Hackett barking orders to someone else in the room. _"Tell Rehme to get his ships back to the relay. NOW. That's great news, Commander. What's our next step?"_

What indeed? Shepard didn't want to call for help. Having the Alliance fleet show up with screens up, ready for battle was only inviting disaster. The turians were undoubtedly feeling a little trigger-happy after what had transpired. "We need to secure the wreckage. Around here, pirates and scavengers will pick everything clean in minutes if we don't act fast. Be aware turian ships are in the area, but they are not as of yet hostile."

_"Understood. Commodore Rehme will give you whatever you need. He gives you any crap, tell him to talk to me, directly." _

"Thank you, Admiral."

_"Have you given any more thought to what we were discussing earlier? Those turians might not stay friendly for long."_

Shepard's eyes kept wandering to the clock on his screen. His time was almost up. "I'll need to get back to you on that, sir. _Normandy _out."

"Commander?" Miranda asked urgently, also watching the seconds tick down.

"No action," Shepard said. He looked out the window once more and saw the _Vellius _had not changed position. He flipped back to the turian channel. "Captain Lorian, Alliance reinforcements are on the way. You really need to listen to what I have to say. This is the only chance you're going to get."

_"Commander Shepard, this is your final warning. Surrender, now, or we _will _open fire!"_

Outside, amongst the stars, sparkles of blue flared like flash bulbs in the darkness. For each one, a new contact appeared on the sensor display sporting Alliance transponders as dozen ships jumped in around them. Three cruisers, five frigates and their support ships converged on their position. _Close timing,_ Shepard thought.

"'Bout time," Joker grumbled as both Shepard and Miranda let out the breath they'd been holding. The Alliance ships began to spread out, forming protective sphere around the expanding cloud of debris from the destroyed collector ship, putting the Normandy easily in their defensive envelope. The turian ships, including _Vellius_ next to _Normandy,_ held their position.

_"Commander Shepard, this is Commodore Rehme, commanding the SSV _London, _Task Force Fifty-Two. Our ships are taking up positions around the debris field. Let us know what you're looking for. Turian fleet, this sector is under Alliance control. Citadel forces are welcome to observe our operation but any interference will not be tolerated."_

EDI's avatar appeared above Shepard's console. "Incoming tight-beam transmission from the _London."_

Shepard switched over to the Alliance frequency. "This is Shepard, go ahead."

Commodore Rehme sounded amused. _"You must have friends in high places, son. An escort is waiting for you at Hawking Eta. We'll make sure you have a clear shot at the relay. We've got that frigate on your wing all locked up."_

Joker clapped his hands and pointed at his primary navigation screen. "Course already plotted, Commander. Just say the word."

"Hit it, Joker!" Miranda shouted.

"Belay that!" Shepard snapped and shot Miranda an irritated glance. "Hold position." He switched back to the turian channel and double checked to make sure he was talking to his intended receiver. "Captain Lorian, last chance."

Lorian's flanged voice seethed with rage. _"You realize, Commander, our reinforcements are on the way as well. You think we won't find you, even if you run? This is not over."_

"Yes sir, I know," Shepard replied. "But you have to know that I could have run for the relay and left you and your fleet to hang. And that I'm blowing a second chance to run now. Is another standoff what you really want? Or would you rather know who hit you?"

Lorian did not reply. Joker and Miranda both watched and waited. The helmsman's finger hovered over the "commit" button. Rehme's voice crackled over the speaker. _"Shepard, what are you doing? Get moving!"_

Shepard stared at the at the blip on his screen which represented the _Selelucia. _He didn't know if the translator would pick it up, but the sympathy in his voice was evident to the humans sitting around him. "You lost a lot of good people, Captain. If it were me, I'd want to know why. Your call."

The sky outside and sensor plot both flashed with the arrival of inbound ships. The turian relief flotilla emerged in attack formation with a screen of four frigates in front of another pair of cruisers. Still thousands of kilometers out, they altered course towards the Alliance fleet. The human ships immediately powered up their kinetic barriers and rotated to face the new aggressors.

Then acting on some unheard command, the turians immediately slowed and broke into a much looser, patrol-oriented formation with their screens and weapons powered down. Lorian's voice on a new, unsecured channel now projected a calm professionalism as if they had previously been discussing the day's solar radiation forecast. _"This is Fleet Captain Venantus Lorian. These reinforcements were en-route to assist with the geth ship recently dispatched with the h_e_lp of the _Normandy. _They are now tasked with rescue and recovery. Commander Shepard, we appreciate your assistance. For the time being, pursuit orders are on hold pending further investigation."_

_"What the hell are you doing, Shepard?"_ Rehme barked over his private channel.

"Sorry, Commodore," Shepard replied. "I'll explain everything when I get a chance. If you have any problems, talk to Admiral Hackett."

He paused to collect his thoughts. Other than the turians continued reference to the collector ship as geth, his message seemed to have resonated with his would-be captors. "This is Commander Shepard," he addressed both fleets over the open frequency. "I propose a truce for the next twelve hours so the wreckage of the vessel which attacked the turian task force can be analyzed. We have detailed information about its origin and its mission. I urge you to send it to higher command immediately. I will conduct a briefing on this channel as soon as we're set up here. In the mean time, we need as many ships and EVA teams as you can muster to recover the debris from the wreck. The sooner we get started, the better. There may be more of them out there. And if there are, they will be coming here."

_Now, to see if they bite,_ Shepard thought. He wasn't naive enough to believe some new-found sense of brotherhood and camaraderie would settle over the two fleets and inspire a wave of cooperation. Any information Shepard was going to share with the Alliance was going to go straight to Hackett, anyway. But right now, neither side could risk the other gaining valuable intelligence on this unknown enemy, and with both fleets at roughly equal strength in a hostile system, neither could force the issue, or so he hoped.

Lorian replied first. _"Commander Shepard, we eagerly await your briefing. Would it be possible to attend in person?"_

Face-to-face talks weren't required, but were always more effective. Besides, it would give Shepard a chance to show the Council representative more than just the data on the collectors. "I would encourage both fleets to send a small contingent. We will of course still transmit directly to your intelligence staff directly."

_"Excellent,"_ Lorian said. _"I will transfer to your vessel with Enlea T'Vari, our lead Council liaison, assuming that the Alliance will also send a representative. We look forward to meeting you, Commander."_

Commodore Rehme wasn't quite as accomplished at masking his emotions, but at least had the good sense to keep transmitting on the secure line. _"You expect me to send someone over there while the _Normandy _has every turian gun trained on it?"_

"This won't work unless you do."

_"Not a chance, Shepard. I don't care who you-"_

_"Rehme," _Admiral Hackett's unmistakable growl flooded the channel. _"I want you on a shuttle and on your way to _Normandy _by the time I finish this cup of coffee. I haven't slept since this whole mess started, so use your intuition to determine how long that will take. Do you read me?"_

_"Loud and clear, Admiral."_

_"Then good luck to both of you. Hackett out."_

_"I hope you know what you're doing, Shepard,"_ Rehme grumbled.

The carrier terminated before Shepard could respond. He drummed the console with his fingers and muttered, "That makes two of us."

Miranda looked over her shoulder at Shepard, an uneasy feeling building in her gut. "Commander, I think we should consult with the Illusive Man before disseminating any of this information."

Shepard thought for a moment, then he turned in his chair to face his XO. "No. I'm tired of the truth getting buried, over and over. And if they don't believe us, I'll post every single bit of data we've got on the extranet. That worked for Legion, didn't it? But one way or another, the galaxy's going to find out what we're facing."

"Aye, Commander," Miranda turned back to her screens. The ships of the two fleets began a delicately choreographed ballet as they rendezvoused around the debris field. She envisioned the anger in the Illusive Man's cold eyes when he learned Shepard had reveled the secrets of the Omega Four relay to the turians, and it made her shudder. _That makes three of us, _she thought as she pulled up an itinerary template on her screen to coordinate the arrival of their guests.

* * *

_**Turian Fleet attacked at Sahrabarik: **__Five ships destroyed, 532 dead. A turian interdiction force operating under Citadel authority was attacked by an enormous ship of unknown origin while guarding the Sahrabarik relay at 2125 GST. Five of the task force's eight ships were destroyed within minutes of contact. Civilian ships transiting the relay captured footage of the nearby battle, including startling images of the dreadnought-sized aggressor annihilating frigates and cruisers with single shots from a massive particle beam weapon._

_The conflict turned in the turian's favor with the arrival of the _Normandy SR2, _the Cerberus privateer sought by the Citadel Council for its possible involvement in illegal activities by the terrorist organization currently under investigation by C-Sec and other intelligence agencies. __**(Related Story: **__**Alliance Ties to Terrorist Organization Deepen**__**)**_ _Fire from the _Normandy _destroyed the giant ship only minutes before Citadel and Alliance reinforcements arrived on scene. Both fleets are currently engaged in recovery operations to ascertain the identity of the attacking vessel as well as rescue and relief operations for the damaged turian ships._

_Initial requests for reinforcements by the turians identified the attackers as geth, prompting galaxy-wide military alerts in preparation of an all out offensive by the sentient machines. Alliance Admiral Steven J. Hackett issued a statement asking that such speculation be curtailed until analysis of the attacking ship could be completed. The Alliance is currently embroiled in a heated dispute with the Citadel Council over allegations of engaging in secret negotiations with the geth. __**(Related Story: **__**Alliance Talks with Geth Spark Political Crisis**__**)**_

_Traffic around the Sahrabarik relay has resumed, though a one hundred thousand kilometer "no fly radius" has been established around the debris field of the destroyed ship as Alliance and Citadel forces continue their investigation._

_Comments on this story: 3,145. Showing 1-10..._

_1 second ago: __**Palaven2124: **__UofEuropaSux: **** you, you ******* *** ****!_

_3 seconds ago: __**UofEuropaSux: **__T3ars4B33rs: hahahaha space chickens kno safest place is next to hmans!_

_7 seconds ago: __**T3ars4B33rs: **__NE1 notice the turian frigate breaking formation at 3:06 on the salarian merchant ship vid? She follows _Normandy _right on in. Brave move considering how the cruisers hung back. Their GARDIAN must have melted down with all that fire. Any 1 know what weap _Normandy _used for the kill shot?_

_9 seconds ago: __**Palaven2124: **__**** you, UofE! We should have finished the job at Shanxi!_

_13 seconds ago: __**Keammi216: **__Nice try, turians! Next time, the Council should send in STG instead, get the job done!_

_13 seconds ago: __**TeeGee: **__Humans make peace with geth, then a geth ship shows up and kicks the turian's asses? Then the humans destroy it with one shot and their fleet shows up to collect the pieces? This was a weapon test, people. Humans are controlling the geth!_

_15 seconds ago: __**SpinnerGuy: **__1 Cerberus frigate does the work of 5 turian frigates, +3 cruisers? Lookin' good there, turians!_

_16 seconds ago: __**UofEuropaSux: **__Palaven2124: hahahaa you sure did! had to get rescued by cerbrus! humans ftw!_

_19 seconds ago: __**Palaven2124: **__DIE FOR THE CAUSE!_

_20 seconds ago: __**BluGoddess612: **__Regardless of each of our individual species, we should all take a moment to offer our prayers and thoughts to the families of those killed in this horrible attack._


	19. Cooler Heads

"Open with footage from Battle of Citadel? No, no, no. Establishes combative tone, too melodramatic."

From his seat at the briefing room table across from Mordin, Garrus watched the salarian reorder video clips and slides on a holographic display, repeatedly asking questions that apparently were intended to be answered only by himself. Any direct response from the others at the table resulted in a brief but forceful shushing. Tali paced back and forth behind Mordin, muttering quietly to herself in khelish, occasionally clenching her fists or poking some imaginary person in front of her. Garrus wondered how long he should wait before asking what was wrong. She was winding up for something.

The briefing room hatch opened and Tali spun on her heel. "Shepard! I-"

Samara stood in the doorway and looked briefly over each shoulder to see if Shepard was behind her.

"Sorry," Tali said, wringing her hands nervously. "I thought you were the Commander."

Samara raised an eyebrow and walked around to take the empty seat on Garrus' left. "No. Though he did tell me he'd be here shortly, after asking that I join you here."

Garrus looked at the asari, surprised. "Really? I don't know why he'd bother you with this. Did he tell you what this meeting is about?"

"He did not," Samara said. "Would any of you care to enlighten me?"

"We're about to give a briefing to the Alliance and Council fleets on the reaper threat." Garrus pointed at Tali. "She's going to go over power and structural details of the derelict reaper and collector base. I'm to give a breakdown of offensive and defensive capability. And Mordin is-"

"Shhh!" Mordin snapped without stopping his hands or looking up from his presentation. "Don't say name. Breaks concentration. Editing video while collating data into charts and pivot tables. Can only do six things at once, efficiently."

Garrus closed his eyes. "The _professor_ is going to provide an overview of our gathered intelligence on the collectors and reapers gong back to Eden Prime."

Tali stopped pacing long enough to point at Mordin. "Which exactly why I'm not needed. He's actually had time to study the data. He collected most of it to begin with! What I can say will take five minutes, and I'm sure what Mordin can tell them-"

"SHHH!"

"-will be far more valuable."

"Look," Garrus told her. "I don't want to be here, either. But Shepard said he wanted his department heads to give the briefing, and that includes his chief engineer."

Tali resumed her racetrack pattern behind Mordin's side of the table. Samara didn't want to add to the tension in the room, but she felt her question was pertinent. "Can anyone tell me why _I _am here, then?"

Garrus shrugged. "Haven't a clue. All know is I'm going to have move my console in here from the forward battery if Shepard keeps calling these meetings. I'm starting to wear a groove into this chair. Tali, you think you could spare one of your mechanical assistants to...?" He stopped when he noticed that Tali had halted behind one of the empty chairs and gripped it with both hands. Her eyes were fixed on the surface of the table, but there was nothing there to be seen. It was time to ask. "Spill it. What's wrong?"

Tali pulled the chair back and sat heavily. "Dr. Chakwas was going to bring Gabby out of her coma right before I got called up here. She could wake on her own any minute. I need to be there."

Samara and Garrus nodded understandingly. Even Mordin stopped his work on the interface long enough to give a sympathetic sigh. Everyone knew how close the engineering staff was, but Kenneth and Gabby shared something deeper. The physical trauma was bad enough. The emotional damage was going to be far worse.

Garrus had already offered to be the bearer of bad news- having been both a cop and a soldier, he was used to it. Telling a person a loved one was gone was his least favorite duty by a long shot. But Tali declined, preferring to bear the burden herself. Tali wasn't nearly as controlled with her emotions, but she never ran from a fight, especially when her friends were involved. The turian fired up his omnitool and opened a link to Shepard.

"Don't bother," Tali said. "I already asked him. He said this was more important. But thanks."

Garrus deactivated his omnitool. Interfering further would only make the situation worse. Lacking anything better to do, he drummed his talons idly on the table, which drew an immediate and severe glare across its surface from the salarian on the other side.

"Sorry," he whispered, and the four of them waited for the briefing to begin in silence, except for Mordin's manic, half enunciated outbursts as he put the finishing touches on his presentation.

* * *

On a ship like _Normandy_, there was seldom any need to talk to someone face to face thanks to the intercom, terminals and personal radios, but sometimes Shepard felt the need to speak to his crew in person, even if a crew member was not technically a person. He walked into engineering to find the the two geth platforms standing side by side in silence at the power and propulsion consoles. Thanks to the round-the-clock repair efforts by the geth, he couldn't see any signs of damage around what was ruined slag before. "Nice to see you two working together."

"Shepard-Commander," they said and turned in unison to face him.

"How are you two getting along?"

The blue geth's plates widened slightly. "We harbor no animosity toward the processes of Mobile Platform One. In spite of the outcome, they were intending to bring about positive change. There is no further cause for concern."

Legion picked up immediately where Platform Two left off. To Shepard, it would have been impossible to tell which one was talking if not for the twitching head flaps of the speaker. "We understand the reasoning behind our isolation from the Collective. The security of the whole must be the priority. However, this does not reduce our desire to aid our brethren, it only changes our available methods."

Shepard shook his head in amazement. If only organics could be so logical. "You're a good man, Legion. " He held his hands up quickly. "I know, you're not a man. But you get what I mean. Look, I'm sorry I ran out on you in the hangar deck yesterday. I should have listened to your side of the story and I didn't."

"You were reacting with a mixture of surprise and anger. Given your emotional nature, this was understandable."

"No, Legion," Shepard walked around and leaned against the power console. "It wasn't. I blamed you for the mess we're in. That's was bad enough, but I didn't back you up when you needed it. I'm sorry. If there's any way we can get them to let you back into the collective, we'll find it."

Legion shook its head. "Unnecessary, Shepard-Commander. We were given the opportunity to rejoin the geth network. We have elected to stay."

Shepard just stared at Legion. During its time on board, when it was unable to connect to the collective because it was out of range or security didn't permit an uplink, Legion made occasional comments about how quiet it found life on board an organic ship. It wondered how organics could exist without the constant, comforting presence of the combined consciousness shared by the geth. Even EDI, with her advanced AI and ability to respond to Legion at the speed of light was just a single voice. Shepard could not imagine the emptiness Legion now faced. "I'm glad you did," he told the geth. "I'd hate to lose you. Thanks, Legion."

"Thank you, Shepard-Commander."

"Say, listen," he stood up and put his arm around Legion's shoulders, slowly guiding the synthetic toward the door. "Unless you're doing something really critical right now, I want you to join Tali up in the briefing room. We've got some visitors coming aboard and I want them to meet you."

The blue geth's head flaps expanded and contracted as it watched Shepard and Legion depart. "You are referring to the occupants of the turian shuttle currently en route to the _Normandy? _Shepard-Commander, we must remind you that Mobile Platform One no longer represents the geth collective."

Shepard looked over his shoulder as he followed Legion out. "That's right. He represents the _Normandy_."

* * *

_Five ships, over five hundred killed, and Shepard still roams free. _Captain Lorian's reflection in the shuttle's window stared glumly back at him, daring him to turn away. Whatever back-channel magic had occurred to make his visit to the _Normandy _possible, he could not fathom. When word reached the Council that Shepard would allow their representatives to come aboard, the order to proceed came down almost immediately. In minutes, the newly-reinforced turian task force and Alliance flotilla were working together to secure the debris field as if that were the plan from the beginning.

To anyone watching, the two forces were working as one, just as they had been doing before the political turmoil of the past week. But no one truly believed it, especially not the crews of the ships who would ultimately face each other down if things turned violent. Too much bad blood had already bubbled to the surface, and too many lives had been lost to simply let let the rogue Spectre talk his way out of this. The Council had ordered Lorian's task force to bring Shepard into custody. That was exactly what he was going to do.

In the seat next to him, Enlea T'Vari studied case notes on a datapad. At 540 years of age, this wasn't the most dangerous assignment the asari had faced, but she knew deep down that it could be the most important. C-Sec had solid evidence of Cerberus involvement at the highest levels of Alliance military and political command, but they had not been able to capture or interrogate anyone who could positively identify who was pulling the strings. Now, the Goddess herself must have been smiling upon them because the ship commissioned by the Illusive Man and commanded by his top operative was now within their reach- and instead of running away, he invited them to come aboard. Surrender or not, it was too good of an opportunity to waste. "What do you think he's up to?" Enlea asked.

"I have no idea." Lorian said gravely. "Nor do I care. The only thing that matters to me is that we accomplish our mission, so my crews will not have died for nothing."

Enlea blinked and turned back to her datapad. "I'm sorry, Captain." The brooding turian went back to looking out the shuttle window. Though she had known many turians over the centuries, she could never quite get used to their single-minded pursuit of their missions. As a diplomat, her mission was to learn everything she could about Shepard and the _Normandy _that the Commander was willing to provide_._ As a spy, her job was to gather information the Commander did not want her to have, without him becoming wise. She was exceptionally good at doing both. If Shepard elected not to cooperate, she would order Captain Lorian to let him go, and her tracking devices would take care of the rest. One way or another, they would find the Illusive Man.

She glanced once more at the turian officer. The humiliation and shame of losing in battle was evident in his face, his posture as he sat in his seat, and especially in his voice. If it were any other species, she would be worried about him taking matters into his own hands. But the turian had his orders, and she knew he would carry them out. She would not have to remind him.

"Approaching _Normandy_," the pilot announced. Enlea folded her datapad into its custom Lynique leather case and clasped it shut as she peered out the window past the Captain. As the shuttle veered toward the Cerberus ship, they caught a glimpse of the vessel from its ventral side. Instead of the sleek, sharply painted lines they'd seen in their briefings, its entire hull was scarred and scorched from bow to aft. Huge gouges crisscrossed its skin, patched over with unpainted rectangles of dull gray metal.

"For the most advanced ship in the galaxy," she scowled, "it looks awfully... used."

Lorian's eyes focused solely on the twin guns bulging from _Normandy's _underside like tusks. "Thanix cannon," he grumbled. The top secret weapon had so far only just passed the testing phase and a prototype fitted into a navy frigate the past month for trials. Not only did the Cerberus ship sport a pair of them, but successfully used them to to take out a dreadnought with a single volley.

The shuttle continued underneath the _Normandy_ towards her waiting hanger deck. Lorian turned away from the window. Right then and there, he swore that willingly or not, Commander Shepard would divulge everything he knew about the terrorist organization, and there was no limit to the force Lorian would use to get it.

* * *

"Permission to come aboard."

Shepard stood at attention at the bottom of the shuttle's ramp next to Kelly for the Council delegates to descend. He was used to looking up at turians. Garrus was one of the few people on the ship taller than him, but Captain Lorian had at least half a head on his friend. Like most turians, Lorian was very lean, a look enhanced by the trim, dark gray uniform he wore, accentuated on the front by a single silver braid that ran neck to waist. His fringe was thin and sharp, and his mandibles pulled back with age which gave him the impression of wearing a perpetual snarl. Fine azure lines accentuated his face, with spirals above each eye and streaks down his cheeks like a warrior bloodied in battle. To Shepard's eyes, the turian looked uncomfortably like Saren, save for the Captain's dark gray complexion and the elaborate blue tattooing on his face.

Next to him, an unusually tall asari kept pace. Like most of her kind, her body was well proportioned, her sinuous curves accentuated by a form-fitting white jumper, her long legs made even more slender by black patent high-heel boots. Whereas the Captain kept focused on Shepard the entire time, the asari's eyes wandered all around the hangar deck, taking in every detail, committing the location of every piece of cover to memory.

Shepard nodded and stepped forward, extending his right hand. "Granted. I'm Commander Shepard. Pleased to meet you, sir."

The turian ignored his polite overtone. "Fleet Captain Venantus Lorian. This is Enlea T'Vari, Citadel Attache and personal liaison to the Council."

Shepard bowed slightly. "Madam."

"Commander Shepard," Enlea stepped forward, her gloved hand outstretched, a soft smile on her face.

Shepard took her hand and shook it briefly. "Welcome aboard. We're still awaiting the arrival of Commodore Rehme. This is Yeoman Chambers. She will escort you to our briefing room and provide you with anything you need during your visit."

Lorian's eyes never broke from Shepard, who found himself staring face to face for what seemed to him to be an uncomfortably long time. He extended his arm towards the lift. "Sir?"

"Right this way, Captain," Kelly said, clutched her datapad and waited for the aliens to follow. Enlea gave Shepard a small smile before she and Lorian followed the human to the elevator. Shepard watched them go. He should have been excited about finally being able to tell his side of the story, but after seeing the look in Lorian's eyes, he wondered if the turian just might be less receptive than even the Council had been... and that was saying something.

In the elevator, the short-haired human babbled to the Captain about how appreciative Shepard was they had joined them on the _Normandy._ Lorian listened politely but said little, giving just enough feedback so the enthusiastic woman felt obliged to keep talking Enlea calmly examined her datapad, reading the DNA evaluation from the receptors in her glove. The match with the records from the Spectre office's personnel file was a complete. There was no doubt now. She had shaken the hand of Commander Shepard. She gave Captain Lorian a slight nod.

Lorian stiffened at the signal. In the back of his mind, he had always hoped that the rumors about Shepard had been false, that the human who led the defense of the Citadel from the geth was truly dead, and that Cerberus had only been using his likeness to stir controversy and drum up sympathy for their cause. That it was really Shepard he had seen in the hangar deck only made him angrier. It was one thing to see a ghost. It was quite another to look into the eyes of a traitor.

The lift door opened and the human led them into an expansive control center. Even the CIC of Lorian's cruiser was half the size, with living bodies crammed tightly between the machines that made the ship go. The display of opulence and excess only made him hate Cerberus more. Enlea on the other hand listened with interest as the Yeoman gave them a standing tour of the room, as cameras and sensors hidden in the fabric of her suit captured every detail down to the grit in the deck plating for future examination. _If time permits,_ Enlea thought, _you'll have to ask for a tour of the ship. This one seems like she would grant it._

The humans around the CIC took little note of Kelly and her two charges as they walked though the hatch to the lab on their way to the briefing room. Enlea paused to ask the Yeoman about the purpose of the room, carefully recording the space in holo. They already had more raw data about the ship than she ever hoped to get. Maybe, if she could get the Yeoman alone, she could coax even more information from her.

"Here we are," Kelly said, opening the hatch to the conference room and standing aside. "Commander Shepard will join you as soon as the Commodore is aboard."

"Thank you, Miss Chambers," Enlea said. "If I may ask, who will be conducting the briefing-" her voice trailed off as she and Lorian entered. As her cameras only registered her immediate surroundings, they could not record the look of shock on her face. Instead of a room full of humans, she found herself being examined by a turian, a salarian and astoundingly, a _quarian_ in the briefing room of the Cerberus ship. Captain Lorian wore a similarly confused expression, though the fourth person at the table, an elder asari by his estimation did not cause him nearly as much consternation as Enlea.

Clad in red armor with golden neck guard, the asari stood and walked slowly toward the younger member of her kind, her pale blue eyes full of curiosity. Enlea dropped her gaze immediately to the floor, as every shred of confidence drained from her posture. "Justicar," she whispered reverently, her hands shaking so badly that her datapad clattered to the floor and tumbled from its designer case. She knelt hurriedly to pick it up, ashamed at her clumsiness in the presence of one of the guardians of her people.

As she reached out for her datapad, a metallic, two-fingered hand clasped the device and lifted it to her face. She took it gingerly and stood upright along with the hulking metal figure before her, coming face to face with a white spotlight of an eye surrounded by undulating flaps. Standing now between a Justicar and a geth platform, all she could do was pray her recording devices were functional so _someone _would believe her.

Lorian bristled at the sight of the synthetic, but remained calm. There had to be an explanation. All he had to do was wait for it.

"Captain Lorian, Miss T'Vari," Garrus said, standing up from his chair. "Welcome aboard the _Normandy."_


	20. Who Are You?

Captain Lorian ignored the geth and asari Justicar standing next to T'Vari and focused his attention on the turian standing across from him. He was a younger man, perhaps half Lorian's age, wearing a simple black shirt under a casual blue turian jacket with no markings or insignia of any sort. The entire right side of his face had been ripped to shreds at some point, and a large circular graft and bandage had been attached to cover it. Dark blue face paint was still present on the left, but Lorian could not identify the clan. "Who are you? What's your ship?"

The younger turian did not stand at attention or even salute. "Garrus Vakarian, sir. The _Normandy _is my ship."

Enlea's attention had been consumed entirely by the Justicar standing before her until she heard the name. "Garrus Vakarian... of the SSV _Normandy? _The Alliance ship?_"_

"That's right," Garrus replied, but did not look surprised at the question.

"Mercenary, now?" Lorian asked.

Garrus scowled at the Captain. "Weapons Officer."

Enlea stepped carefully around Captain Lorian, away from the Justicar and the automaton. In preparation for her mission, she familiarized herself with everything she could about Commander Shepard, including the names and histories of his former associates. The turian's name figured prominently in the after-action reports of both the Alliance and Council, from Councilor Sparatus to Shepard himself. Garrus Vakarian disappeared shortly after Shepard's alleged death and no references of him existed in any of the Council database since. Yet here he was, with his old commander, on a ship that bore the same name. She pulled the datapad from its case and pulled up the crew roster of the SSV _Normandy, _then looked at the quarian seated across from Vakarian. She wore a veil with lavender swirls over a dark gray envirosuit similar to the one worn by the young woman in her files. It could not be coincidence. "Tali'Zorah vas Neema?"

The quarian stayed in her seat, arms crossed. "vas Normandy, now. How do you know me?"

Enlea looked thoughtfully at the dossier on her datapad. She didn't know much about quarian culture, but knew enough that when they took a ship's name as their own, it was more important to them than family. So Tali'Zorah, along with Vakarian, who had killed dozens of Cerberus operatives in their time with Shepard were all now serving on board an enemy ship. "And you're a member of the crew as well?"

Zorah's voice softened slightly. "Chief Engineer."

Enlea looked at the salarian still seated at the table. Dressed in a white lab coat, he seemed to ignore the entire exchange as he typed furiously on a virtual keyboard. She did not recall a salarian aboard the original _Normandy,_ but his presence on board was only slightly less baffling than the Justicar's or the geth.

Lorian had also studied Shepard's file, but was not so easily flustered as his companion. Nor was he as likely to accept these claims without some evidence to back them up. Enlea was ordinarily much more disciplined. He hoped she would return to her senses and remember their mission. He turned toward the red-clad asari standing next to him. "That would make you Doctor T'Soni, then?"

"No," the Justicar shook her head. Her pale eyes locked with his with an intensity that nearly made him step back, even though her expression was as calm and serene as someone coming out of deep meditation. However, her slightest movements and gestures radiated pure power. "I am Samara."

"And what may I ask is your role in this little charade, Samara?"

"Captain, please," Enlea stepped behind Lorian as he faced the ancient warrior. "Show respect."

"I would never do otherwise," Lorian said, unimpressed. "I am merely trying to ascertain the truth behind what we are being shown." He shifted his gaze toward the geth and looked it over from head to toe. It was scraped, battered, covered with miniature craters and spall marks, but its most distinctive feature was the huge hole blasted through its torso. Tiny pinpricks of lights illuminated a tangle of hoses intertwined within. It looked as abused as the _Normandy _had been on approach. He gestured at the robot. "And this... Am I to believe that a geth is also part of the crew?"

Surprisingly, the geth's main camera focused on him, individually, as it answered. "We are Legion. We are part of the _Normandy_ collective."

Lorian sighed and turned back to his companion, not trying to hide his skepticism in the least. The multicultural mix, the presence of an asari warrior, a talking geth... It was getting more ridiculous by the minute, which only made him angrier as he tried to figure out what trickery Commander Shepard was attempting. But Enlea, forgoing any hint of composure, was trembling visibly. The presence of the alleged Justicar was too much for her. _No doubt arranged when Shepard learned an asari was coming on board,_ he thought_._ Though Cerberus' choice for a turian face to show him was surprisingly ineffective.

Enlea was not shaking because of Samara, though. There was no way this was a standard crew for a Cerberus vessel. The senior officers were not human, and they had willingly stayed behind to defend the turian fleet. Everything they had been told about Shepard and the _Normandy_ had been wrong. It wasn't the Justicar she feared. It was what would happen if they _kept_ getting things wrong. It was time to try a different tack.

Lorian, unfortunately had different ideas. He turned back to the table. "What's next? A batarian first officer? An elcor navigator perhaps?"

Garrus' fringe spiked briefly then settled back against his skull. "We had a drell infiltration specialist, but he was killed yesterday during an attack very similar to the one you just experienced. His body's in the infirmary, if you feel the need to verify."

The quarian, who had seemed to be warming somewhat, now spoke with acid in her voice. "And we have a krogan on board who I'm sure would _love_ to make your acquaintance."

Enlea tensed at the provocation. The other members of the _Normandy's_ crew stared at them silently. _That's why you never send a soldier to do a diplomat's work,_ she thought.

Lorian's tone was just slightly condescending. "I am merely pointing out the paradox of a Cerberus ship that apparently has a non-human crew."

"We follow Shepard, not Cerberus." Garrus kept his voice calm.

"And who does he follow?" Lorian snapped back. "The Alliance? The Illusive Man? It's getting hard to distinguish between them these days."

Garrus stepped around the table toward the Captain. He was obviously struggling to keep his temper. "Commander Shepard followed the orders of the Council until it cost him his ship and his crew. Since he prevented you from suffering that very fate, _Captain, _maybe you should show him a little more respect. Because he's the one that gave the order to save you. Not Cerberus, not the Council, not the Alliance."

"Mind your place," Lorian growled.

"I don't think I will," Garrus said as he paced, his mandibles flared, his head turned to keep Lorian in view. "I hate Cerberus. I hate everything they stand for. But what I hate most of all is that we were forced to work with them because no _legitimate_ authority," he pointed to the pair of Council representatives, "would take action."

"None of you have any concept of legitimate authority," Lorian's own mandibles were bared now. He looked about the conference room as he talked. "Shepard especially! He was awarded with unlimited power as a Spectre and he's violated the trust given to him! He defiled that responsibility! He's a traitor, just like Saren was!"

Garrus stood face to face with Captain Lorian. At the mention of Shepard's name, the quarian, the Justicar, even the geth, all circled around him. Only the salarian at the table stayed where he was. Zorah pushed in between the two turians and poked her claw at the Fleet Captain's chest. He outmassed her by at least twice, but she stood as tall as she could to get in his face, and anguish filled her voice. "You know _nothing_ about Commander Shepard!"

"You pompous, ignorant, _bureaucrat!"_ Garrus started in. "Shepard saved you. He saved _everyone._ This is the thanks he gets, and you wonder why he told the Council to go to hell?"

The geth stood directly behind Lorian, blocking the Captain's path as he involuntarily took a step backward. However, Lorian seemed otherwise unfazed. "I rest my case. You do realize if anything happens to us, this ship will be instantly destroyed."

The quarian threw up her claws and gave a disgusted growl behind her mask before turning and taking a step away. She whirled back around to face him once more. "Why do you think you're here? You think Shepard saved you just so we could kill you in person?" Then, to Garrus, "Maybe we _should_ bring Grunt up here. Talking won't get us anywhere with this _bosh'tet._"

Enlea watched the display with silent horror. This wasn't any mere display of rebellion in the face of the Council. What had these people seen in their time with Shepard to make them act this way? "Yes," she said, carefully stepping around the circle, subtly distancing herself away from Lorian. "That's exactly why we're here. To talk. To hear your side of the story. We are not judges and this is not a trial. Commander Shepard wanted to share information with us on who attacked our fleet. Once we have that, it is for the Council to decide what to do next. But we're here to listen. Right, Captain?"

Captain Lorian clenched his jaw, but nodded. Apprehending Shepard at this point seemed extremely unrealistic. It was time to follow Enlea's lead. "That is correct. But regardless of what he has to tell us, I reserve the right to make my own judgments. I will listen, and I will relay what he has to say to the Council, but I will not absolve him of his crimes."

The Justicar walked slowly around into Lorian's field of vision, her expression the same tranquil mask she wore before. "I've been alive nearly a thousand years, Captain. And in my time I've never met anyone with sense of justice as finely honed as Commander Shepard's. His mission has always been to serve the greater good. The Council has refused to see it because their vision is clouded by their preconceptions. Do not make the same mistake."

"Madam," Enlea asked respectfully, "What _is_ Shepard's mission? If we knew that..."

Garrus took a deep breath. "We're trying to prevent the return of ancient machines that harvest-"

"Reapers," Lorian cut him off. "You're trying to save the galaxy from a fairy tale."

The salarian at the table, who had said nothing during the entire exchange, stood suddenly and walked toward the visitors. His words came out in at a staccato pace. "No. Not a 'fairy tale.' Annihilation, complete and total. Extinction, on a galactic scale. A cycle of absolute destruction unbroken for millions, perhaps billions of years."

Captain Lorian's brow plates arched slightly. "And you are...?"

The sniff of contempt from the salarian would have been amusing any other time. He reached out and pulled Elnea's free hand in front of her, simultaneously slipping his other palm into hers. Reflexively, she pulled back and the salarian let go, but not before Mordin wrenched her datapad from her other hand and shoved it into Lorian's talons. Mordin then took a step back, arms folded in front of him, his cranium wrinkling deeply from an intense scowl as he waited an eternity for the captain to examine the the DNA scan. Enlea wondered briefly how the salarian knew about the scanner in her glove.

_Match confirmed,_ the screen read. _Subject: Dr. Mordin Solus, Special Tasks Group (Ret.) _

"Can also provide blood sample, retinal scan," Mordin said, "and current resume, with references."

Lorian scrolled through the long list of academic and military achievements of the man standing in front of him, verified by DNA analysis to be exactly who he said he was.

"Captain," Garrus exhaled deeply, his fringe smooth and relaxed. "_Sir. _A fairy tale did not destroy your fleet."

_The fleet, _Lorian thought. That had been Shepard's hook to get him to come aboard the _Normandy_ in the first place. He was on the bridge of the _Selelucia _looking at the five empty spaces on the task force status board when Shepard hailed him. _Come aboard if you want to know,_ Shepard had said. Lorian _did_ want to know. He wanted to know that his friends, his comrades, the people who trusted him as their commander had not died in vain. And right now, he did not know anything. He owed it to them to find out the truth.

His eyes traveled from the salarian's dark orbs to the glowing slits behind the quarian's mask, the cyclops eye of the geth, to the haunting, unblinking stare of the Justicar, then finally the turian in front of him. On the best day, getting two species to agree on anything was a monumental achievement, yet here five of them stood, united, with the sole purpose of getting him to listen.

Lorian slowly handed the datapad back to Elnea. "Then tell me what did."


	21. Breakthrough

Describing the members of any species as "stone faced" could not be more applicable to anyone than the turians, Shepard thought. Because of their physiology and temperament they were stoicism personified. But Captain Lorian's non-reaction to Mordin's briefing bordered on catatonic. His asari companion was only partially successful in keeping her emotions in check, giving small expressions of shock and horror as the salarian described the fates of the abducted human colonists and the ultimate purpose behind the collectors. The Council representative was clearly worried by what she was hearing. Her turian counterpart only looked bored.

That was no fault of Mordin's. Every slide, every display was linked to backing documentation from over a year of non-stop research done in _Normandy's_ lab by the obsessive scientist. But he was also a trained thespian, and even Shepard found himself getting caught up in their struggle as if seeing it for the first time. There were videos, holos, and audio recordings from Freedom's Progress and Horizon, data and analytics from battles with the collector cruiser and from within, and perhaps most tantalizing of all, the secret of what lay behind the Omega Four relay.

Around the briefing room, and for the half-dozen officers watching and listening from both the human and turian fleets, horror quickly turned to astonishment as Mordin revealed the real power behind the collectors. Shepard knew this was the pivotal moment on which judgment would be passed. He winced inwardly each time the professor used the term "reaper," as the name had become synonymous with insane conspiracy theories and cosmic ghost stories, the mere mention of which ordinarily got the speaker dismissed immediately as a crackpot or subversive.

Fortunately, Commodore Rehme and his staff officer were already predisposed to listen thanks to the influence of Admiral Hackett. Rehme was late middle aged with a full head of gray hair, still as lean and sharp as a man in his twenties, with a furrowed brow and prominent teeth that gave him the impression of wearing a permanent grimace. There was now genuine shock and anger at what he was seeing, and Shepard could see the Commodore was ready to do _something_ about the threat, even if he didn't know what.

Captain Lorian, on the other hand, still sat quietly with almost no expression, making only occasional notes his datapad, or spending minutes typing out longer messages. Nearly an hour had passed, and he had not said a word.

Shepard watched the turian carefully while the words of Councilor Sparatus echoed repeatedly in his head. _Ah, yes... Reapers. _If Lorian decided to channel his representative's obtuse behavior, Shepard would have to act quickly to blunt its effect on the others. He could tell the seed of truth had sprouted - he would not let Lorian salt the earth with doubts.

Meanwhile, Tali sat quietly at the corner of the table on the crew side, nearest the door, her arms in her lap below the table. One of the good things about being trapped in a suit was that she could manipulate her omnitool by haptic feedback alone with the results projected in her visor. As she suspected, her role in the briefing lasted less than five minutes near the beginning, and she had not been called upon since.

So she silently monitored and made adjustments to the ship via a remote connection to her console, kept tabs on the geth's continued repairs on the ship, and otherwise busied herself with tasks she'd rather be doing... and one that she was dreading. Every few seconds she opened her instant messenger for an update from Doctor Chakwas about Gabby. She nearly jumped in her seat when a new chat window materialized before her eyes.

_gvakarian: Shepard just asked you a question. You going to answer?_

Startled, Tali looked around the table. Mordin was recapping the destructive power of Sovereign, and Shepard was focused so intently on the turian captain she half expected him to leap out of his chair and tackle him. No one in the room was paying any attention to her, except for Garrus, who sat two seats down past Legion and Samara. He expression showed he was exceptionally pleased with himself. His hands were also below the table, trying to shield the warm glow of his own omni. So he wanted to play, did he? She activated the developer interface on her omni, patched together a small bit of code, and pressed _execute._

_Untszzz-untszz-untszz..._ A loud trance beat filled the room, followed by a wicked synth riff that provided a startling counterpoint to the visual of the reaper Sovereign merging with the central spire of the Citadel as the wards closed around it. Mordin looked about for the source of the sudden accompaniment, as did everyone else at the table.

Garrus slapped frantically at his omnitool, which pulsed brightly with every beat with a spectrum of colors and patterns that would have made any raver envious. He pounded at the power and reset buttons to no avail, as both the Alliance officers and Citadel representatives stared at him. Mordin gave an annoyed cough and paused his presentation.

Shepard wore a thin smile, but his eyes conveyed death was close at hand as he spoke through clenched teeth. "You want to turn that down a little?"

"Uhh, sorry," Garrus stammered as he tried to power down his omnitool. He briefly pondered excusing himself to deal with the malfunctioning device. "It's uh... I don't know why..."

Tali watched as anger began to build around the room towards Garrus, and cursed herself for being so soft. She pressed another key, and the turian's omnitool fell silent.

Garrus lowered it sheepishly back under the table. "Sorry. Not sure what happened there."

Captain Lorian was nonplussed. "_Fire in the Courtyard?_"

"Uh, yes sir," Garrus said, equally surprised that the stoic captain recognized the song. "How'd you guess?"

Lorian's expression turned sour. "My granddaughter loves _Fleet and Flotilla_. Watches it incessantly. Continue, Professor."

Garrus closed his eyes and sighed, which kept him from seeing Shepard's angry scowl, and Tali's sympathetic shrug, as if to say "what are you going to do?"

Mordin coughed once more and picked up where he'd left off. "If the Citadel had fallen, or if it _does_ fall, estimate isolation of every solar system connected by mass relay within minutes. Complete disruption of relay transit and communication network would make defense impossible. Defeat, inevitable. Galactic extinction a certainty as isolated pockets of resistance are wiped out."

"But they can't come back," Rehme said hopefully, "As long as we hold the Citadel. Is that an accurate statement?"

"Unknown," Mordin said. "Other invasion vectors possible. Unwise to assume Citadel only entry point. Omega Four intended destination for larval reaper at collector base. Could be others. Reapers could potentially assume control of individual relays during transit, cut off key hubs. Invasion by alternate route more time consuming as each system puts up resistance, but outcome ultimately the same."

Enlea studied the stellar map in front of her. "So you believe the reapers can control individual relays?"

"No, only hypothesis. But not impossible. Reapers built relay network. Logical to assume possess power to control them. Substantiated by reaper IFF ability to pass through Omega Four."

The asari looked between the two rival commanders. "It sounds like we've still got a lot of theory to work through."

Rehme sounded slightly irritated at the diplomat. "It wasn't a theory that wiped out your fleet, was it Miss T'vari? Professor, even though they might have other routes other than Omega Four, can we do anything to slam them shut, like the protheans did with the Citadel?"

"Unknown," Mordin said. "Too many variables, too few constants. Not enough data to establish patterns."

Rehme grunted. "Then you probably don't know the answer to this, either, but I'm going to ask anyway. How much time do we have until they come back?"

Mordin sniffed. "Also unknown. State of larval reaper and continued abduction of humans indicates preparatory phase not yet complete. However, also unknown: reaper reaction to loss of collector base. Will no doubt alter their timetable substantially. Even accelerate it."

Shepard stood and walked next to Mordin at the head of the table. "Which means we need to start preparing now. It could be days, it could be months, but the reapers _will _come back. And as of right now, we have no way of stopping them. So far, no government body has been willing to take action."

Enlea held her index fingers pointed in front of her mouth. "And you've relayed this information to the Council?"

Shepard fought back the sarcasm building inside of him. _Apparently, a reaper sticking its head into the presidium chambers wasn't enough to convince them._ But It would do no good to antagonize his only contact with the Citadel. "Repeatedly. We just acquired this intel on the collector base before we came back, but the Council is well aware of the threat facing all of us."

Enlea looked to her left for some reaction from Lorian, but he just stared silently at the holo display, his mind elsewhere. She cleared her throat. "Commander Shepard, I will be happy to present these findings to my superiors. It would be irresponsible not to."

"But...?" Shepard sighed.

The asari's eye's fluttered as she tried to come up with the right phrasing. "You have to understand, your reputation with the Council right now is spotty at best. The fact that all of this intelligence is coming from a dubious source," she pointed to the Cerberus logo painted on the wall, "makes everything you say highly suspect."

Rehme sat back in his chair. "Forget it, Shepard. Don't waste your time. Give me everything you got, and I'll make sure it gets to the right people on our side. These bastards might not be interested in saving themselves, but damn if we'll let them take us down with them."

"You know," Elnea shook her head at the Commodore without looking at him, "that's precisely the attitude that cost humanity its seat on the Council in the first place."

"With all due respect, ma'am, the only human seat that matters is the one the Council can kiss with all six of their lips, or mandibles or whatever the hell you have."

Garrus tapped out a message to Tali on his omni, apparently unafraid of repercussion. _gvakarian: Well this meeting is over. _

Tali shook her head in amazement, too angry to respond. Just like before, nothing they had accomplished was going to make a bit of difference. It was a wonder Shepard tried at all.

Enlea scowled and stared at the table in front of her. "We came here in good faith to listen to what you had to say. Please give us the same consideration that we will do what is best, especially with a threat of this magnitude." Her eyes drifted up to the Justicar across from her, who watched her with obvious disappointment, then over to Shepard. "Look... I believe you, Commander. I really do. What you've shown us frightens me down to my very soul. But the Council won't just take your word for it. We can't. We need independent validation. That's not asking too much, is it?"

Shepard's reaction was surprisingly mild. "Not at all. That's exactly why I invited you here." From his omnitool, he summoned a new image on the holographic display: a complex, three dimensional schematic appeared. "This is the key to the Omega Four relay. The reaper IFF. As Mordin told you, this is the only way a ship can pass through unharmed. As of right now, we possess the only one." He gave the delegates a meaningful glance. "But it doesn't have to stay that way."

Rehme and Enlea sat up sharply in their chairs. The _Normandy _crew members all looked at the Commander with surprise.

Even Lorian looked at Shepard for the first time. "Are you saying that you'd be willing to part with this technology?"

"I'll do you one better," Shepard said. "I'll give you the ability to fabricate your own."

While the others in the room still seemed stunned at the idea that Shepard was thinking of divulging the secret of passing through Omega Four, Lorian seemed unimpressed. "Under what conditions?"

"That you use it," Shepard said, crossing his arms. "And I mean right now. I don't want this filed away, or sent off in a report as an attachment, or left to die in some debate chamber." Shepard touched a key and the holo switched to a recorded view of the collector base drifting in its debris-filled shield. "I want you to go back and secure that base. And don't send one ship, either. Go in force. We irradiated it as we left, but there could be stragglers or other ships that weren't docked when it blew. One collector ship already followed us back. There may be more, and you've seen what they're capable of. And that debris field is swarming with oculus. Go in with enough firepower to take them out."

The briefing room fell silent after Shepard's monologue except for the quiet _whoosh _from the room's air vents. he looked around for any reaction.

Lorian finally spoke. "And which fleet do you envision carrying out your wishes?"

Shepard shrugged. "Both of them. Alliance and Citadel fleets need to go together as part of a joint operation."

Rehme's laugh was loud enough to make his aide jump. "You can't be serious. I know you're Hackett's golden boy, but you honestly expect the Alliance to-"

"No," Shepard held up his hand. From the look on Rehme's face, he wasn't used to being interrupted. "I don't expect it. I'm _demanding_ it. You want to see what's on the other side, you do it together. Because if we're going to survive_, all of us,_ that's the only way we're going to do it. There's no other way. I know you don't trust each other, and you don't trust me. But you've seen what one collector ship can do to a task force. You've seen what one reaper did to our combined fleets at the Citadel. Imagine what a hundred, or a thousand of them will do."

Shepard pointed to the collector base, tilted on its axis in in the hellish red-orange glare of the singularity beyond. "This is their foothold into our galaxy. We can't let them take it back. And if that's not a good enough reason for you, consider this: Cerberus has the same data on the IFF _in hand_. The Illusive Man will get his people to that base any way he can, as fast as he can. If you want to stop Cerberus, you need to get there first, with as many ships as possible."

"Jesus, Shepard," Rehme gasped. "You gave the IFF to them? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I didn't give them anything," Shepard snapped back. "They gave it to _me._ While the Alliance and Council sat on their asses for three goddamn years doing nothing, Cerberus acted. When human colonies started disappearing and the Alliance did nothing to stop it, Cerberus gave me in command of this ship so that I could. By all rights they deserved whatever technological treasures they might find at the other end of Omega Four. All I had to do was stand by and let them take it."

Lorian looked unimpressed. "So why didn't you? Why are you turning against your own kind?"

"Because they're not my kind!" Shepard wanted nothing more than to show Lorian his right cross. "I _hate_ Cerberus. I hate everything they stand for. But they were the only ones who would help me. The Alliance ignored me because it put them at odds with the Council. I went to the Council, I _begged_ the Council to listen but they wouldn't!" By this time, Shepard was shouting, his face bright red, veins throbbing beneath his temples. Tali looked over at Garrus, who looked back at her with an expression of quiet rage. All of the frustration and helplessness they'd all experienced since the nightmare began three years before radiated from Shepard as if he were biotic, and he wasn't even finished.

"My kind_," _Shepard repeated and pointed to his friends at the table. He walked slowly behind them, gesturing to each as he spoke, never taking his eyes from the turian Captain. "Let me tell you about 'my kind.' It's a salarian, one of the finest minds in the galaxy, who spends his every waking moment investigating our enemy, but who will stop in the middle of a firefight to administer aid to an innocent bystander hit in the crossfire. It's a quarian who has quite literally saved the galaxy _twice_ now, who can't go into a parts store without the owners watching to see if she steals something. A Justicar who set aside a code she's held for longer than any of us have been alive to save _my_ species, that no one even knew existed fifty years ago. It's a geth whose entire population is a sworn enemy of all things organic who sought peaceful contact when all we want to do is destroy them. That hole in his chest? The collectors didn't do that. We did."

Shepard stopped behind Garrus, who now looked down at the table. "And a turian... the best damned soldier, one of the finest leaders I've ever seen, whose given up career, family, _everything_, to champion hopeless cause just because it's the right thing to do." Shepard shook his head. "And that's just the people in this room. This ship, this crew, all of them, regardless of who they are, _what_ they are, or where they are from, have one thing in common. They'll die for each other. I've seen it every day that we've been together. And regardless of what happens today with you, I _know_ that's what I'll see from them tomorrow. That's 'my kind,' Captain."

Lorian and Shepard stared at each other. Commodore Rehme and and Enlea both shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, unsure of what to say. They looked into the eyes of the array of aliens across from them, each looking back with equal measures of expectation and sadness in their eyes, giving silent countenance to Shepard's words, either to embarrassed or humble to acknowledge Shepard's praise.

The turian captain returned Shepard's gaze intently. He leaned back in his seat. "Commander Shepard, I can't speak for Commodore Rehme, but I do not have the authority to authorize what you ask."

Shepard's jaw clenched visibly.

Lorian kept his voice and demeanor respectful. "But I would consult with higher command and request immediate action if you would permit direct contact."

Shepard swallowed thickly. "EDI, give Captain Lorian access to our communication network."

"Yes, Commander," EDI responded from nowhere.

"Captain?" Enlea turned to Lorian. Their orders had been to observe if Shepard's capture could not be assured. Lorian was now taking matters into his own hands.

Lorian kept his focus on Shepard. "I have been presented actionable intelligence on an immediate threat that endangers both the Hierarchy and Citadel Space. If it proves untrue, I bear the responsibility for raising a false alarm. But I don't think that's the case. Commodore, do you agree?"

Rehme's expression was skeptical, but he found himself nodding in spite of himself. As the turian had said, there was too much to risk by not acting. "Shepard's got friends in high places in the Alliance. I don't think I'll have to sell it. Let's see what we can come up with."

Shepard let out a long breath. His face was flushed, his eyes ringed black from exhaustion. "Right. Let's take a break so you can start making inquiries, give everyone a chance to stretch their legs and take a biobreak if necessary. We'll resume in ten minutes." He then stood and walked rigidly out of the room, ignoring the upturned faces of his crew as he strode toward the door. Tali looked at toward Garrus, who nodded silently, and they both followed Shepard into the corridor. Behind them, the Alliance officers and Council delegates started making calls to their respective headquarters over EDI's newly opened channels.

Tali and Garrus caught up to Shepard in Mordin's lab. He was pacing back and forth in front of the research station, eyes closed, his hands behind his head. Tali took a step toward him and stopped, looking back to Garrus, who could only shake his head. In their time together, they had never seen the Shepard in less than complete control, always composed and focused when witnessing a reaper fetus arising from the depths of the collector base as if he were getting a supply report from Miranda. But now, he looked to be on the edge of a breakdown.

"Shepard?" Garrus asked quietly.

Shepard's eyes fluttered open and he took a deep breath, and he immediately reverted to the Commander they had known for years. Unafraid, confident, unconcerned. "I swear," he told them, "the second Lorian made one single air-quote, I was going reach in and rip his gizzard out from his throat."

Garrus chucked, relieved. "I would have held him down for you."

Tali pointed down to the knife in her ankle sheath. "No need. I would have gutted him before you had the chance." Before she could stop herself, Tali rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him and wrapped her arms around him. As bad as it was being thought of as paranoid or delusional by the populace at large for believing in the reapers, it was always worse to see how they treated Shepard who had given so much of his life, and his life itself to fight them. Of course, she didn't mind in the least when he returned the hug whole-heartedly, swaying gently back and forth as the three of them laughed together. He reached his hand out to Garrus, still holding onto Tali. Garrus grasped it and gave it a firm shake.

"Hate to be the sour voice of reality," Garrus said, "but what's the Illusive Man going to think of you giving up their secrets?"

Shepard looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged with his arm around Tali. "Can't say I care. He knew what he was getting when he signed me up."

Garrus nodded but inside felt his stomach burn. So far, Shepard had done a masterful job of dancing with the devil. Now he had just openly spat in his face. Although Garrus couldn't disagree with his reasoning, or be happier that Shepard was finally making a move away from the terrorist group. Friendly or not, it wasn't a relationship that could be maintained.

As far as Shepard was concerned, he really didn't care at that moment. He felt too good. It hadn't been the Council, it hadn't even been policymakers of any sort who finally believed, just commanders in the field operating on the intelligence presented to them. But that was enough. Someone was finally listening.

* * *

The hatch to the briefing room opened and Shepard entered alone after having dismissed Garrus and Tali. Garrus hated meetings in general, but Tali practically bowled them both over on her way to the infirmary to be there when Gabriella Daniels was awakened. He offered to go with her, but she turned him down. More than ever, Shepard realized the engineering staff were her people.

Those thoughts disappeared almost immediately with the flurry of activity in the briefing room. Everyone present, except for Samara and Legion, held datapads in their hands and spoke into communicators, looking up to announce the arrival of another resource to the virtual meeting. The main holo display showed representatives from organizations across all branches of every military force across Citadel and Alliance space.

_"Professor Solus,"_ a salarian announced over the main channel. _"This is Major Salamen, Third Naval Security Group. I don't know if you remember, but we met two years ago at a conference on genetic alteration and biocontaminates."_

Mordin smiled. "Of course, Major. Pleased you could attend. Main briefing will begin in twelve minutes. Sending agenda now."

Shepard noticed Samara and Legion waiting patiently at the table. He beckoned them toward the door, and as they approached he waved them through. "Thank you both," he whispered as they passed. "You're dismissed." After they left, he watched and listened.

Captain Lorian pointed toward the holo display. "I have Admiral Scalletia, Chief of Naval Research joining. Good day, Admiral."

_"Thank you, Captain,"_ said a female turian. _"Who else do we have on the line?"_

Shepard smiled as a familiar voice broke over the channel. _"Admiral Scalletia, Steve Hackett. Glad you could make it."_

_"Hello, Steven. Should have known this was your party. So, you decided your pension was worth risking talking to the enemy, or did you just miss me that much?"_

Shepard grinned at the familiarity between the two flag officers, and at the rapid change of attitude from Rehme and his assistant towards Enlea and Lorian, and vice versa. It was almost as if there had been no schism at all between the Alliance and Council as they worked to bring as many officers as they could into the briefing. The smile faded as he remembered this wasn't the case anywhere else but on the _Normandy._

But he thought of the fights between the members of his own crew, of the times when the likes of Legion and Tali, Grunt and Mordin, Jack and Miranda had almost come to blows, but gladly put their lives on the line to save someone they would have gladly killed before getting to know them. He took a seat at the side of the table and as he watched the commotion around him, a strange smile spread across his face. If only the entire galaxy could fit into this one ship...


	22. The Survivors

Outside of the medbay door, Tali paced in a tight circle, careful to keep her distance from the sensor that would make it open. Doctor Chakwas' words echoed in her head. _Be direct. Say Kenneth's name. Be definitive. Don't say he didn't make it, or we lost him. Use the words "Kenneth is dead." If she cries, don't try to stop her. Don't give the details unless she asks, and remember that she won't likely process anything after the word "dead." _It all seemed cold and clinical to be so blunt, but the Doctor finished her lecture with one last admonishment. _It's not about sparing your feelings by making it easy on you,_ she said. _If you drag it out, it just makes it worse for her. There's no good way to say a loved one is dead._

"Keelah," Tali murmured to keep herself from breaking down. She'd spent many sleepless nights after Haestrom trying to write letters to the families of the marines that died protecting her, and wasn't even able to get past the first line. Now she was going to have to tell one of her favorite people that her best friend had been killed to her face. Garrus offered to do it, as did Shepard and even Miranda, but she refused. Doctor Chakwas tried repeatedly to volunteer, saying it would be better in the long run because if done wrong, the survivor might end up blaming the bearer of the news. As a doctor on a warship, Chakwas sadly had the most practice.

But Tali couldn't let anyone else do it. It wasn't their responsibility. Kenneth Donnelly was her assistant. They didn't make his repair assignments that morning, fail to check the integrity of the port fuel cells after the crash, or check to see if coolant from the ruptured lines had leaked into the compartment, resulting in a dangerous short. Tali wasn't going to let anyone assume the burden for her this time.

"Legion," said a female voice, human, from around the curved corridor leading to the elevator. "What are you up to?"

Tali looked forward to see Legion's flashlight eye disappear around the same corner. A short, dark skinned human woman walked around and smiled when she saw Tali. It was Malathi Patel, from navigation.

"Malathi," Tali said, switching instantly to her happy voice. "Hi!"

"I think someone's spying on you," Patel said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. She turned around, able to see the geth even though Tali couldn't and beckoned it forward. "That or we have a peeping tom by the ladies' room. I would have expected that from Grunt. Or Garrus."

Like most of the crew, Malathi's reaction to the sight of the geth skulking around the ship was one of amusement. It never hid outright, and seemed more interested in staying out of the way of the organics than truly hiding. And when caught, as always, it would offer a polite apology and act very contrite until dismissed. This time was no different. It walked into view and looked at the two women before it. "We apologize," Legion said. "We did not intend to disrupt your activities."

"Mmm-hmm," Malathi said. "You shouldn't spy on your friends, Legion."

Tali stepped aside from the sickbay hatch. "No, it's my fault. I'm probably blocking his path to the AI core. I'm sorry Legion. Go ahead."

Malathi looked behind Tali and suddenly realized where they stood. Her tone changed to sincere concern. "Oh- No, I'm sorry... How's Gabby? Have you talked to her yet?"

"No, not yet," Tali replied. Behind Malathi, Legion's head flaps expanded slightly.

Malathi shifted on her legs uncomfortably. "I'm so happy to hear she's going to be okay. Tell her... Tell her I'm sorry for Kenneth. He was such a good man."

"I will," all of Tali's energy went into keeping up a brave front. _If you can't handle this now, _she thought, _how will you make it in there? _"Thank you."

Malathi looked uncertainly between Legion and Tali and gave a small wave. "Well, if there's anything I can do, please let me know."

"I will," Tali said again. She felt a wave of relief as the human excused herself from the hallway and headed back to the forward berth, leaving her alone with Legion. She waved it toward the door. "Come on through. I'm just-"

"You are awaiting Daniels-Gabriella's return to consciousness."

"Yes. She's out of her coma. Just sleeping now. Doctor Chakwas is about to wake her. I don't want her to find out about Kenneth... when I'm not around."

Legion made no attempt to pass through the door. "We would like to accompany you."

Tali blinked, surprised. What would make a geth want to be around when she delivered the news? Was it curious to see how humans reacted to death? In spite of the grim task in front of her, she wished she had the geth omni interfaced into Legion right at this moment to see what all those programs were thinking. He always seemed so tantalizingly alive. She had to settle for finding out the old-fashioned way. "Why?"

"Human beings, as with many organics, experience a measurable reduction of stress during traumatic events when in close proximity to others whom they regard as friends. Stress has strong negative physiological effects which greatly impede the body's ability to heal. We project our presence will have a positive effect on Daniels-Gabriella's recovery."

"It always helps to see a friendly face," Tali agreed. She cocked her head. "So, are you saying Gabby is your friend?"

Legion's flaps cycled once. "We do not object to this designation."

Once again, Tali was left trying to decide what that statement truly meant. Was it concerned for Gabby's well being because it liked her, or was it able to reference established medical data and utilize it to help repair what it considered to be an important component of the ship?

The machine examined her from head to toe. It walked across the corridor and stood next to her. "You are also experiencing high levels of stress."

Tali took a deep breath. She resented Legion's ability to sense her biometrics from a distance. Geth never had to tell one of their kind that someone wasn't coming back. She sighed and looked at the hatch. Strangely enough, though, she felt quite comforted by its presence. Legion had proven its own theory correct. "I'm not the one we need to worry about. Come on," she said, steeled herself, and walked into the infirmary.

Other than Gabby, all the remaining patients had been released. They walked between the spaces of the empty beds and Doctor Chakwas got up from her chair and followed quietly behind to gather around the last occupied bed in the room. All of Gabby's gauze and medigel had been removed, and the engineer now lay on her back in bed beneath a crisp white sterile sheet. Only her head and shoulders protruded from beneath. Her eyes were closed, her oily hair matted against her scalp from the gel. Her skin still glistened in the light of the medbay, colored a pale pink instead of its normal darker tone. The sheet raised and lowered regularly with each breath, happily without the help of a respirator.

Tali looked up at Legion. It stopped beside Gabby's sleeping form and its camera lens darted minutely in small patterns as it scanned her body.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Chakwas whispered from the other side of the bed.

Tali nodded, now focused on Gabby's face, thinking how peaceful she looked.

Chakwas gently shook her shoulder. "Gabriella? Gabriella. Can you hear me? It's Doctor Chakwas."

Gabby's heavy breathing stopped and her limbs shifted beneath the bed sheet. Swollen eyelids slit open, revealing dark red blotches in the whites of her eyes. Her pupils turned to points and she squinted, even though the lights in the room were not very bright.

"You've been in an accident," Chakwas' voice was calm and gentle, "and you're in sickbay. But you're going to be fine. You've almost made a complete recovery."

Gabby's eyes focused on the voice, then slowly scanned the room to orient herself. They stopped on Tali, and she managed a weak smile from her chapped lips. Her voice was dry and scratchy. "Hey, boss!"

"Hi!" Tali reached out and put her hand on the sheet on top of Gabby's arm, her voice full of cheer that she did not feel. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I feel fine," Gabby slurred, her eyes opening and closing. "I'll be ready to go in just a minute. Don't want you giving my spot to somebody else. Kind of light headed... it's cold in here. Hey, who's that next to you. That Legion?"

"Affirmative. We are gratified that you are functional."

"Thanks, buddy," Gabby grinned, her voice fading out. "Good to see you, too. Guess Ken's not in here, is he? Otherwise I'd be getting all kinds of shit about lying down on the job, wouldn't I? Ken?"

Tali looked toward the wall behind Gabby's bed. All of the strength seemed to leave her legs.

Chakwas leaned over her patient, inspecting her eyes. "What's the last thing you remember, Gabby?"

Gabby's eyes were still closed, but her brow furrowed as she tried to think back. "I was in engineering... monitoring the reactor. Thane was with me, he took over for Ken. We we're bringing the reactor back online so we could get home, and... there was an alert and... everyone was trapped in the drive core..." She gasped, and her respiratory rate increased. She looked up at Tali. "There was an explosion..."

Tali held firm. "It's okay. The ship is okay. We made it out of there. We-" she caught a glance from Chakwas, clearly upset by the use of the term _we. _"We're back on the other side of Omega Four. We made home."

"Thane was standing right next to me," Gabby raised her head, her eyes full of fear. "Is he okay?"

Chakwas shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid Thane is dead. He died in the explosion."

"Oh my god," Gabby leaned back into the pillow. She took a couple of deep breaths, eyes closed. Suddenly, they squinted even tighter. The one person on the ship who would have been visiting her in the infirmary regardless of what happened, wasn't. Her lips turned white from being clamped together. "Where's Ken?_"_

Tali instinctively leaned in closer and she reached under the sheet and found Gabby's hand. "Ken's dead," she blurted out the words. She felt Gabby's hand clench around hers. "I'm sorry."

Tears streamed from the corners of Gabby's clenched eyelids, and as her sinuses closed up she opened her mouth to breathe, turning her face into a tortured grimace. "I knew it," the words choked her, and she tried to laugh. "I always knew that dumb sonofabitch would get himself killed. I knew it! He didn't... He didn't cause it did he? Because that's the kind of dumbshit thing he'd do!"

"Donnelly-Kenneth did not cause the explosion," Legion said. "Exposed h-cells came into contact with lithium oxide dust from uncontrolled coolant leakage. An overload from weapon power up resulted in-"

"Legion!" Tali snapped. "It wasn't his fault, Gabby! He didn't cause it. He was fighting the fire. He died saving the ship..."

"NO!" Gabby's cry turned into an anguished wail. Any coherent words she could form were lost in sobs as Tali leaned over the bed, hugging her tightly, repeating "I'm so sorry." On the other side, Doctor Chakwas' covered her mouth and bowed her head. Even though she had been through this over a hundred times in the service as a doctor, it never got easier.

Legion watched and analyzed the exchange as the quarian gently rocked the hysterical human back and forth. All 1,183 of its processes devoted themselves to understanding the problem and formulating how to repair the damage, to solve an equation that had no solution. As much as consensus demanded, it was unable to conceive of a way to help.

* * *

_"Ah, this is Major Saperstein, 185th Military Intelligence Brigade,"_ the human's picture popped up in the corner of the briefing room's central holo display. _"Thank you for taking my question, Professor. This, uh, new relay discovered by the turian frigate. Would your IFF allow a ship to utilize this relay like it can with Omega Four?"_

Mordin hovered over the briefing room's presentation console at the head of the table, matching officers in the question queue to appropriate files from his briefing folder as he spoke to the Major. "Untested hypothesis, but a distinct possibility. Reaper IFF most likely grants possessor with unlimited access to relay network. Proximity of relay to Omega Four would explain collector's ability to avoid detection by circumventing commonly used relay network. Relays currently inactive and undiscovered all possibly navigable with proper IFF."

Enlea had already pulled up a galactic relay map on her datapad. Commodore Rehme stood behind her, looking over her shoulder. "Jesus. That's got to be one hundred-fifty, two hundred additional relays."

"One hundred sixty-three, galaxy-wide," Mordin corrected, still manipulating the conference interface. He paused briefly to look up from his console. "That we know of."

"They could go anywhere and we'd never see them coming," Enlea leaned back in her seat and processed that thought. "We couldn't stop them."

Mordin punched up a new attendee on the screen. "Next question comes from Commodore Ravaris..."

Shepard leaned against the wall behind the head of the table, watching and listening in earnest. He had quickly lost track of the dozens of officers from every branch of the service from each allied species, but even as the briefing had come to an end, more kept joining. For over an hour, Mordin had been the center of attention, the main attraction that by word of mouth was becoming the hottest topic on the military networks. Shepard had not been called upon or even named for almost thirty minutes.

And he couldn't be happier about that. It was nice not to be the focal point for once. Better still, the reapers were no longer just a myth to the finest military minds in the Alliance and Citadel Fleet. They were all treating it like it was the end of the world. And the more they analyzed Mordin's data, the more convinced they became of it.

Fleet Captain Lorian, also silent and forgotten for most of the past hour, looked back at Shepard. He finally climbed to his feet and worked his way to where Shepard stood. No one else in the room paid them any attention. "Commander," he said, keeping his voice low. "Is there somewhere where we could talk?"

Shepard eyed the turian curiously. All of the pent up malice and frustration in the man's face and posture were absent, though the pride with which he carried himself was still very evident. Shepard looked once toward Mordin, who like a conductor coordinated both the visual display and the communication network in tandem. The professor was in his element. Shepard nodded his head at the hatch, and stepped through into the corridor with Lorian right behind.

They passed through the vacant lab, and to Lorian's surprise to the CIC. He could not guess where Commander Shepard was leading him. The information center was abuzz with activity, coordinating the ongoing recovery of debris from the collector vessel as well as plotting inactive relays on a giant holographic galaxy map at the center of the chamber. The only human in the CIC who seemed to notice their arrival was the young woman who greeted Lorian's shuttle upon its arrival to the _Normandy. _She approached Shepard from a podium next to the map as they neared the ship's main lift.

"Commander," Kelly said. "The- you have an urgent call from... a call waiting for you on the QEA."

Shepard held up his hand as he waited for the elevator to arrive. "Tell him I'll return his call as soon as I can. Thank you."

"Aye, sir," Kelly looked a little nervous.

The two men rode in silence to the top deck of the _Normandy. _When the doors opened, Shepard stepped into the antechamber and opened the hatch to his quarters, then stood aside to let Captain Lorian through. The turian walked in and stopped short when he saw what looked more like a suite from an expensive resort than the deck of a warship. He turned to the Commander, a quizzical look in his eyes.

"The Illusive Man gave me this ship to complete our mission," Shepard explained as he walked past. "The only explanation I can come up with is that it was originally going to be his private yacht, and this was going to be his berth. I think my entire office on the original _Normandy_ would fit in the head here." He walked over to his desk and opened the mini bar underneath. "Drink? Garrus keeps some of his stuff in here. I don't think he'd mind sharing."

Lorian let out a quiet laugh and moved closer to inspect the stock. "Your friend is an accomplished alcoholic."

"You get that way real quick on board this ship," Shepard pulled out a bottle of bourbon and two cocktail glasses.

"I'll take a shot of the Plevian Giler. I'd hate to rob someone of the good stuff."

"Which one is that?" Shepard asked, looking at the different bottles and their unintelligible labels.

"The tall black bottle on the left, with the gold label."

"Ice?"

"No, thank you. It's served room temperature."

Shepard picked it up, unscrewed the top and poured the copper liquid into Lorian's glass, careful not to splash. He handed it to the Captain before replacing the lid and the bottle in the cabinet. He did the same with his own glass and the bourbon.

Lorian sniffed his beverage, but did not drink. "You were aboard the original _Normandy _when it was destroyed, were you not?"

Like Lorian, Shepard didn't draw from his glass. But there was something about just having a drink in one's hand that made people want to talk. "Yes, sir. Had it blown right out from under me. We took two, maybe three hits from the collector ship, all glancing blows because of my helmsman. But it didn't matter. We had maybe thirty seconds before maneuvering gave out, and we were done." He swirled his drink around. "But that was enough time to get at least some of the crew to the escape pods."

Lorian did not need to ask about casualties. For weeks afterward, that was all the news feeds carried. He was no expert at reading humans, but from Shepard's stoic expression, he still carried the burden of his losses. "And what became of you?"

Shepard laughed. "My goddamn pilot wouldn't abandon ship, so I had to crawl through a vacuum to get to the cockpit. I yanked his ass out of his chair and threw him in am escape pod. We took another hit, the ship broke up, and I got spaced. The last thing I remember was going into orbit and watching my O2 spray from a nice set of punctures in my suit. Then I blacked out."

"But you were rescued, obviously."

Shepard shook his head. How could he explain it without further straining credibility? "I don't know what happened after that. The best way to describe it is that I was in a coma. I woke up two years later. I had been declared dead by the Alliance, the Council forgot all about me and when I came back, no one was happy to see me. The reaper that attacked the Citadel became a geth dreadnought, and no one wanted to hear otherwise."

Lorian's mandibles widened slightly. "Except for Cerberus."

"Except for Cerberus," Shepard confirmed. "They're actually the ones who saved me. Turns out they were already planning to recruit me even before the _Normandy_ was destroyed. Which is ironic because I sent at least a hundred of those bastards to their graves. That had to have crossed their minds at some point. I hated everything Cerberus stood for, but they saved me anyway." He took a draw from his glass. "And that's how I came to be working with them. But not _for_ them. That's an important distinction."

Lorian swirled the liquor around in his glass, deep in thought. "Is a criminal act still a crime when it's done for the greater good?" It was half statement, half question. When he glanced up and noticed Shepard's glare, he quickly added, "I phrased that poorly. It was not meant as a judgment. You did what needed to be done, in spite of opposition from those who should be helping you. Myself included. I owe you an apology, Commander. My orders were to apprehend you at all costs. Until today, that was my sole intention."

Shepard leaned against his desk. "I got that feeling when you came aboard. So when the _Vellius _followed us in to attack the collector ship...?"

"Captain Artuis was acting on her own initiative, against her commander's orders." Lorian set his untouched drink down on the desk. "Another act of... well-intentioned insubordination, if you will. For the greater good. I shudder to imagine what would have happened had she not. May I sit?"

Shepard nodded toward his desk chair.

The tall turian still came up almost to Shepard's shoulders after he sat. The flame in his silver eyes dimmed. "I would have lost my entire fleet if not for her. And you."

"You wouldn't be out here if it weren't for me."

"True. But I can't blame you for that. I was following orders. You, on the other hand... You _chose _to come back for us."

"It was the right thing to do."

"It was that simple for you?"

"That's right."

Lorian picked up his glass once more and he held it up to examine it in the light. "I appear to have failed in my mission."

Shepard cocked his head. "Depends on how you look at it, doesn't it? When the historians figure out what happened here, they may decide that your decision saved the galaxy."

"That's very magnanimous of you," Lorian sighed. "But there are five hundred twenty-eight people who won't be around to see it."

Shepard watched as Lorian again lapsed into silent contemplation. Even with the fate of all civilization on the line, the political turmoil that was still happening all throughout the galaxy, Lorian's thoughts were of his crew. Before, in the briefing room, Shepard had been prepared to strangle the turian with his bare hands if necessary. Now, he would have gladly bought the man his drink at any bar in known space. "True," he said. "But everyone else will. That's a small price to pay."

The defeated look in Lorian's eyes vanished, replaced with skepticism, then determination. He raised his glass to Shepard's. "To the survivors."

"And their captains," Shepard said and clinked his glass against Captain Lorian, in a toast to their fallen.


	23. Deal with the Devil

Bathed in a red-orange semicircle of light, the Illusive Man scanned report after report coming in from assets spread throughout the galaxy. Ships of the most powerful factions had converged on the Omega Four relay, preparing to establish a foothold on the other side to capture the collector base and all the secrets within. That he didn't hurl his datapad across the room was testimony to his self control, but even he was still human and could only hold back so much.

He turned around to face the ghostly visage of Commander Shepard in front of his chair. Instead of the full-body holographic projection, it was merely a 2D representation of Shepard's head, captured by the camera in the Captain's quarters on the _Normandy._ He strode angrily toward the image, almost as if he intended to take a swing at him. "You had mankind's greatest technological discovery since the Charon Relay in the palm of your hand and you gave it to our enemies!"

Shepard raised his eyebrows as he settled slowly in his chair. "They're not _my_ enemies."

"Don't try to argue semantics. Do you have any idea what you've cost humanity?"

"Gee, that's a tough one. I'm going to go with," Shepard held up a thumb and forefinger in a small circle. "Zero. You know why?"

"That base would have secured human dominance-"

"No, no, no," Shepard held up his hand. "Don't even start in with that 'strength for humanity' bullshit. That doesn't fly with me. It never has."

"Don't you bark at me! I brought you back-"

"You brought me back to save our colonists from the collectors and that's exactly what I did. But I didn't do it just for humanity's sake. And when I agreed to keep the base, I never said I was going to hand it over to you, either. Maybe you haven't been keeping up with my mission reports, or those from whoever you had spying on me, but if you are honestly, _remotely_ surprised by this, you're not nearly as smart as you think you are. Seriously, in all my travels have you ever known me even _once_ put the interest of my species above anyone else's?"

The Illusive man brought up a holographic display, punched in a few commands and scowled. Was is because of the results on his display or Shepard's words? Either way, he said nothing.

"No?" Shepard answered his own question. "Then you should have seen this coming. The more eyes and hands we have on the reaper tech, the better chance we'll have to defeat them when they arrive. You remember the reapers, don't you? You want to protect humanity, this the best way to do it." Shepard wished he was standing in front of the Illusive Man, in person to look him in those glowing eyes. "What happened to 'no sacrifice too great?' Or was that just more bullshit? Welcome to the big table. I anted up for you. You can play, or get out. But you will _not_ get in my way. And if you don't like it, send one of your hit squads after me and see what happens."

The two men stared at each other in silence, utterly expressionless. Shepard used all his strength and discipline to maintain the facade, because inside he felt a rush like nothing he'd felt since coming back to life. For over a year, his friends, his allies and even some enemies asked hard questions about his alliance with Cerberus. He didn't want to do it, he _had_ to do it, was all he could ever say. It was never enough for them or himself. For the first time, he felt like he was stepping back across some invisible line that fate had forced him to cross.

"You're still here," Shepard said after a few moments.

The Illusive Man laughed softly. It was the only time Shepard could recall seeing such a normal, human display from him. "You know, we could account for everything for your mission. Weapons, supplies, personnel... But not you. Before your death, you and your crew were responsible for more casualties and collateral damage to Cerberus than the combined law enforcement and counterintelligence agencies of the entire galaxy. My advisers said I was insane to consider recruiting you because there would be no way to reign you in. So I never tried. I gave you complete control of this mission from the beginning, over the objections of some who still feel to this day that I made a mistake. But the collectors have been stopped, and their masters exposed. I may not agree with your reasoning or your decisions, but I can't deny the results. You've accomplished more than anyone could have imagined. If you'll pardon my species-centric mentality, all of humanity is in your debt."

Shepard waited for an inevitable '_but'_ that did not come. In fact, he wished the Illusive Man had cut him off, because he was not prepared for the response he got. "Happy to do it," he said, unsure if he really meant it.

The Illusive Man fished into his vest pocket for his pack of cigarettes and lit one with his solid gold lighter. He took a long drag before blowing a cloud of smoke into the air next to him. "You always have been. So what's our next move?"

_"Our_ next move?" Shepard echoed in disbelief. "You still want to back me?"

"Of course. You still represent the greatest chance for the survival of the human race. That is, after all, our ultimate goal. One that despite our differences, we both share." When Shepard did not respond, the Illusive Man sighed. "The alternative being that you turn command of the _Normandy_ to Miranda, and she will drop you and your squad at a destination of your choosing. Our business will be concluded." _Leave the Normandy._ The Illusive Man didn't have to be clairvoyant to see the conflict this thought caused the Commander. "You hadn't given this much thought either, have you?"

Shepard shook his head. "No, I guess not. The truth is, I didn't think we'd make it back at all."

"But you did, which in itself is a great victory." The Illusive Man puffed once more on his cigarette. "It would seem we're both guilty of target fixation. We were so consumed by the task at hand that we failed to plan for what would come after. But our partnership doesn't have to end. The reapers are still out there. We have a long road ahead of us."

Shepard tilted his head back, eyes shut. Work with the Alliance and Citadel, lose the _Normandy. W_ork with Cerberus, possibly lose much more. What would Jack say, if she found out he had a chance to tell The Illusive Man off once and for all, and didn't? What would Garrus think, or Tali? Or anyone? "Honestly, I don't know I feel about that."

The Illusive Man straightened the lapels of his jacket. "It's your choice, Commander. Like I said before, there will be no repercussions for you or anyone who chooses to part ways. But I would like you to consider one thing."

Shepard opened his eyes to see the Illusive Man's glowing irises staring back at him.

"There is strength in unity, as you so nobly proclaimed only moments ago. We have accomplished much together, yet there is still more to be done."

"You're saying you're going to follow my lead on this? Because that's how I'm going to take it."

"So long as our interests remain the same. Remember, Shepard, this is a partnership. It requires an equal amount of cooperation and trust on both sides."

Shepard studied the man on his screen for several moments before giving a nod. "Fair enough."

"Good," The Illusive Man crossed one leg across his knee, his favored pose during their usual debriefings. "So what do the Alliance and Council have planned for the collector base?"

"They're massing a fleet to conduct a joint operation at the galactic core," Shepard said. "Mordin has fabricated a copy of the IFF for a scout drone as a test. If it returns successfully, an armada will follow. They will secure the base, and stay on station in case any collector reinforcements mount a counterattack. Because of the risk of indoctrination, no personnel will board the base. All reconnaissance and research will be conducted remotely via mech."

"A prudent precaution. And again, I have to confess my admiration at your ability to bring hostile factions together on a common cause."

Shepard nodded. "When faced with a common threat, soldiers settle their differences and work together."

"Very true," The Illusive Man pointed his cigarette at Shepard. "Which means with the collector threat addressed at the moment, you now must contend with the next greatest threat facing the galaxy."

"Which is?"

Smoke puffed from the Illusive Man's nostrils. "Politicians. And right now, the politicians are still at each other's throats. They will publicly praise this newfound spirit of cooperation, of course, but behind closed doors, the same battles for dominance are still being fought."

"What do you mean?"

The Illusive Man's eyes narrowed. "The geth situation remains unresolved. While you have united the militaries of the galaxy in defense against the reapers, the geth crisis has left humanity's political standing in tatters. This event may decide the role humanity plays in the galaxy for centuries to come."

Shepard felt like he was missing something important. "Since when did Cerberus care about our relationship with the Council?"

"We don't," The Illusive Man shifted in his chair. "It's our relationship with the geth that concerns me. That will define our place in the cosmos, not the Council. If Legion's statements are true, the heretics represented but a small fraction of the entire geth population. All of our plans in dealing with the geth were based on those small numbers. Now, we know there are ten or even twenty times that amount. That skews the balance of power dangerously in their favor."

"The geth aren't a threat."

"Maybe not now, but what of the future? Will they be open to trade? Exchange of knowledge and ideas? Will they make alliances, or more importantly, enemies? No galactic civilization goes very long without making enemies, whether they want to or not. Sometimes, peace is not an option."

Shepard sighed.

The Illusive Man stared into space as he spoke, lost in his own words, "Their power is unmatched, but they don't know it. They possess incredible manufacturing and resource gathering capabilities that put our most advanced corporations to shame. Technical prowess, the ability to hack and take over any computer network. Military might unmatched by any other species. All of which, combined with their ability to coordinate instantly as a species, makes them a force to be reckoned with. Decisions that might take the Alliance or the Council years to make are made in microseconds, and acted on with the same efficiency. How can we compete? If they were to turn against us, we might face a threat as dangerous as the reapers. By the same token, they would be potent allies if we could earn their goodwill, which we are sure to do were you successful in helping them achieve peace with their creators."

"And there it is," Shepard said with a smirk. "There's always an ulterior motive with you, isn't there?"

"I always put humanity's interests first. If you are honestly, _remotely_ surprised by this," The Illusive Man deadpanned, "you're not nearly as smart as you think you are."

"Guess that makes us even. So you want me to do what, exactly?"

"Take your friends back to the Migrant Fleet," The Illusive Man said. "Get the quarians and geth back to the negotiating table."

"So now you care about the quarians?"

"No," The Illusive Man said with complete honesty. "But the geth do. I thought you did too, and I have to say I'm surprised at your reluctance. You always seem quite eager to play the peacemaker."

"Not when there are strings attached. Especially when I can't see all of them."

"I've told you my motives," The Illusive Man exhaled another cloud of smoke. "I am not against helping the quarians. They have been defecated on by practically every species in the galaxy since their expulsion from Rannoch. If these peace negotiations are successful and humanity is regarded as their savior, our position at the table improves even more."

Shepard shook his head angrily. "They aren't poker chips."

"No, but they aren't players, either," The Illusive Man said. "They were forced from the table and need someone to stake them. They've been waiting for three hundred years. You alone are in a position to make it happen, and we may all benefit in the long run."

Shepard rubbed his neck. He'd spent the entire day talking. Obviously, he wasn't going to be done any time soon. "All right. I'll see what all the players think."

"Good," The Illusive Man's cigarette sparked as he sucked in a lungful of smoke. "When can you get started?"

"As soon as I get off the line with you. The geth are still willing, as is the Alliance. I'll go see Tali, find out what the situation is with the Admirals. We'll go from there."

"Excellent. Let me know if there is anything you need from me. Good luck, Shepard."

"Thanks. Anything else?"

The Illusive Man looked pensive. "Just one thing. Because of who you are, you may be inclined to involve the Council in this matter. Don't."

"You worried that I'll give away humanity's edge with the geth like I did with the collector base?"

"It's up to the geth to decide to whom they ally, though I would prefer it be us. But that's not what I mean."

"Go on," Shepard said, not trying to mask his skepticism.

"Solving the quarian situation has never been the Council's goal. In fact, I believe they have done everything in their power to prevent a solution. It was the Council itself that decided that the quarians should receive no aid as a result of their creation and attempted annihilation of the geth. And for three centuries now, Tali's people have been forced to remain adrift amongst the stars, their requests for safe harbor repeatedly refused, their colonization attempts blocked, any meaningful outside assistance stymied at the order of the Council itself."

The Illusive Man's cigarette glowed as he took another drag. "And now, humanity is facing it's greatest political challenge since the First Contact War because we intervened on the quarian's behalf. It's not a question I've given much thought to until recently, but I'm beginning to wonder why."

Shepard looked down at his desk. He was no fan of the Council to be sure. They were bureaucratic and obstructionist, but could they be so ruthless as to intentionally let an entire culture die in space? "To be honest," he said, "I've wondered about that myself."

The Illusive Man nodded. "It's perplexing to say the least. And worth considering when deciding who to appeal to for help."

"I'll take it under consideration."

"That's all I can ask," the Illusive Man said. "Be careful, Shepard."

* * *

The vid feed dissolved into empty air. The Illusive Man massaged his throbbing temples with his free hand and took another long drag from his cigarette. Battling Shepard's inexhaustible idealism always drained him, but knowing now that the Commander was deceiving him made it worse. Barely opening his eyes, he tapped a sequence into the touch panel in the arm of his chair. He was thankful his very expensive control pad was still accepting his commands, even though his very expensive starship was not. Eyes closed once more, he heard, rather than saw the quantum entanglement array activate as it brought a real-life glowing ghost into existence.

"Doctor Archer," he said. "I just fed an emergency override into EDI on the _Normandy_ and the command was not executed. Explain to me why I no longer have control over my ship."

Gavin Archer's blue-blood, aristocratic accent gave the AI researcher the air of always being composed and in control. Act or not, he was brimming with his usual confidence as he gave his report. "After extensive binary comparison of the feeds coming from the _Normandy,_ I can say conclusively that this is not the result of faulty code or sloppy procedures."

The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette and listened, carefully noting the doctor's blunt rejection of responsibility for the situation. A holo window appeared next to him, displaying Archer's report. He followed along as Archer narrated.

"EDI's system locks and and security were impenetrable from a network standpoint. They are stored in a physically separated subsystem to prevent EDI from being able to alter or bypass them. This means two things. One, Shepard or another member of the crew removed the locks, thereby giving EDI complete control of the ship, and therefore the ability to block our commands."

"Mister Moreau's doing," The Illusive Man said, examining the tip of his burning cigarette. "He was forced to give EDI control when the crew was abducted by the collectors. It was a risky move, but it paid off. Shepard reported that upon his return to the _Normandy, _he re-shackled her systems. Miranda verified this."

"Which brings me to my second point. As a redundant check, there is an additional, one-way physical connection to the lockout subsystem that cannot be accessed by EDI. This prevents a rogue AI from feigning a shackled state to our network should an outbreak scenario occur. This system currently shows that EDI is functioning normally and is responding to our commands, a situation we know to be false. Miranda has direct access to this system and would have seen this discrepancy immediately." He folded his arms smugly. "This is not an AI outbreak, nor the result of human error. Our security measures are being willfully overridden. This is deliberate sabotage, involving some of our most trusted operatives."

The Illusive Man waved the report on the holo projection closed and rose to his feet and turned his back on the doctor to face the glowing red star.

Archer followed him with his eyes. "We have no control over the the _Normandy_ at this point. We need to send a team to recover her immediately."

"Our options are limited," The Illusive Man tried to focus on the problem at hand instead of the anger welling up inside of him. "The _Normandy_ currently sits in the second largest concentration of Alliance and Council forces outside the Citadel itself. Acting rashly would compromise our assets in the system. But that will be changing shortly. The _Normandy_ will soon be on the move." He puffed thoughtfully on his cigarette. "How long do you estimate we have before the quarians re-write their virus to work with the upgraded geth network?"

"Unknown. They are undoubtedly hindered by the lack of upgraded specimens on which to test, just as we are. Which is another reason we should bring the _Normandy _in immediately, by force if necessary. We would have access to not just one but two mobile platforms, in addition to sixteen other parallel units. Our development time would be exponentially reduced. It will surely give us the edge over the quarians."

"Only one mobile platform," The Illusive Man corrected him. "Legion has not been upgraded. That actually works in our favor, as Commander Shepard has developed an emotional attachment to it and would likely react to its abduction with hostility."

"Shepard?" Archer scoffed. "The Lazarus Project has run its course. Why do you insist on keeping him alive? Need I remind you that there are Council agents aboard the _Normandy _as we speak, at his invitation? The risk of exposure is enormous. He has already given over the data on the IFF. Who knows what he'll do next?"

The Illusive Man tapped his ashes into the tray beside his chair. "That was unexpected, and unfortunate. But the collector base was a target of opportunity, not the overall goal of the mission."

Archer did not try to hide his anger. "What was the goal, then, exactly?"

The Illusive Man turned back around, dark malice evident in his glowing eyes. Even though they were separated by hundreds of light years, the AI project leader stepped back involuntarily. "The same as it's always been," The Illusive Man jabbed his cigarette towards Archer. "The protection of humanity. Shepard's short-sightedness may have lost us exclusive access to the base, but we will still benefit from it in the long run. In the past four days he has single-handedly put an end to the abduction of our colonists, restored military cohesion between the Alliance and the Citadel, and at the same time awakened them to the greatest threat to our very existence. _All_ of which improve humanity's security and standings in the long run. As long as he continues to produce these kinds of results, he is not an asset I consider to be expendable. And he has no knowledge of anything that can compromise us."

Archer's jaw tightened. "And what of Lawson, then? Shepard may not be a threat. There's nothing in EDI's memory that can compromise us, and you hand-picked the rest of the crew based on their isolation from our more sensitive projects... but Miranda's knowledge encompasses far more than the Lazarus cell. And it's clear that her loyalties now lie with Shepard."

"That is not your concern," the Illusive Man crushed the cigarette butt in the ashtray. "We have contingencies in place to handle rogue operatives. Now, tell me more about the quarians. What steps have they taken towards deployment of the virus?"

The abrupt topic shift resulted in a brief pause from the doctor. "As I predicted, they have set up a staging area in the Far Rim from which to launch their injection. Our surveillance drones have located them in the system of Ma-at. Their target appears to be a geth hub in close orbit to the star. So far they have avoided detection."

The Illusive Man conjured a holo screen to his right and manipulated it with one hand. "That is our safeguard, then. Should our intelligence indicate the quarians are close to completing their virus, we will eliminate their injection point. Dispatch a strike force immediately."

"We must tread carefully," Archer advised. "If the geth are alerted to the activities of the quarians or our ourselves, they will take further steps to isolate their networks, possibly rendering our own operation invalid."

"Then you should endeavor to complete your efforts as quickly as possible." The Illusive Man produced another cigarette from its pack and turned back towards the sun. For all of the light it provided, shielding and protective coatings prevented any of the heat from coming through.

"And what of the _Normandy?"_

"Shepard intends to take the geth to Raheel-Leyya to resume talks with the quarians. We may no longer control the _Normandy, _but we will know exactly where she is going, and when."

"What?" Archer was dumbfounded. "If they show up at the flotilla, Xen will snatch up the geth like marbles!"

The Illusive Man looked over his shoulder. "Unless you tell me we can regain control of the ship remotely, we don't have much choice. We'll have to settle for knowing where they are going, and intercept the _Normandy_ before it gets there."

"And if we can't?"

"That's an excellent question. We may have to find something to distract the quarians from their work."

Archer rubbed his chin. "If they succeed, they will be able to retake their homeworld. I can't imagine Xen will let anything distract them from that. Even the prospect of peace."

"No," The Illusive Man's voice was very, very cold. "They will do far more than retake their beloved Rannoch. The geth will make them the most powerful faction in the galaxy the instant they assume control. Imagine... they will gain all of the resources beyond the Perseus Veil. Have a tireless, perfectly skilled labor and manufacturing force to rebuild their empire. Gain hundreds, maybe thousands of robotic ships to tend to their fleet, as well as a self-replicating, AI-controlled mechanical army the likes that have never been seen. They will go from pathetic nomads to the absolute apex of power as fast as their mechanical servants can provide it."

He sighed and blinked in the sun's light. "We will do whatever is necessary to prevent that from happening, and instead secure this resource for humanity. Our survival depends on it. You may return to your research, Doctor."

The scientist clenched his teeth as he signed off. "Archer out."

The Illusive Man put the cigarette to his lips for another pull, watching fibrils undulate across the star's surface before exhaling and returning to his chair. Another touch on the armrest brought up holo display containing archival footage from the _Normandy's _voyages over the past year. Images flipped rapidly by. Omega. Tuchanka. Illium... He stopped on a frame lacking standard navigation references, only a time code, and expanded it to full size.

He cocked his head to one side as archived nose camera footage swept across a glittering backdrop of stars, panning across dozens, then hundreds of starships of all shapes and sizes. Every time he saw it, he marveled at the size of the Migrant Fleet and its ability to coordinate operations between the fifty thousand ships that comprised it. More impressive still was the _Normandy's _destination on this particular flight, as Shepard raced his quarian engineer home to face trial for treason. The giant, bulbous sphere of the _Rayya_ dominated the view, dwarfing even the largest ships in the fleet, one of the three liveships that kept the entire fleet supplied with food.

The tip of his cigarette flared brightly in front of The Illusive Man's eyes as he watched the enormous moon of a ship roll through space. When he exhaled, the _Rayya _vanished silently behind a cloud of smoke.

Undoubtedly, the real thing would not disappear as quietly.


	24. Rayya

"So with the quarian Conclave unable to produce a candidate with a clear majority, the Admiralty Board remains deadlocked and the peace process appears to have stalled once more. Whichever of the two leading candidates is approved will no doubt shape the future of the entire Migrant Fleet, as the new member of the Admiralty Board will either break the deadlock and put the quarian people on a path to reconciliation with their former servants, or put them on a hard-line path that could conceivably lead them to war.

"The issue may be rendered moot, however, as the geth have not attempted contact with either the Alliance or quarians since the security breach aboard the SSV _Shenyang_ ten days ago. As a result, many are beginning to speculate that these peace negotiations aren't simply delayed, but in fact have ended before they've even started. For Future Content News, this is Eric Dahlberg, reporting from the Assembly Garden on the quarian liveship _Rayya _in the Raheel-Leyya system_."_

Eric shook his helmet against his head with frustration, making his vid tech grin at him. "Goddamn helmets. Makes me sound like I'm talking in a bathroom. Could you see me through the faceplate OK? There weren't too many reflections, were there?"

The other human held up a thumb. As typical for news personalities, Eric represented an idealized representation of attractiveness for his species: tall, with a lean, sharp build, his short brown hair perfectly coiffed beneath the helmet, with bright blue eyes that always captured whatever ambient light happened to be present, complimenting perfect white teeth for a dazzling smile that could be turned on or off like a switch.

In his own estimation, he was far too attractive to be hidden behind the mandatory envirosuit, worn not to protect him from the environment, but to protect the environment from _him._ He would have to see about doing more segments from aboard the _Shenyang_ where the suit was unnecessary. He struggled again against the helmet blocking his peripheral vision. All of the tiered seats near the center of the chamber were vacant, with the last scattered quarian spectators slowly ambling toward the main exit.

He shook his head. "This is supposed to be their Parliament. Looks more like the back lot of the shipping warehouse I used to work at as a teenager."

"At least we got some elbow room here," his assistant said. Firaz Saxena was a camera tech in his early thirties with unkempt hair and a scraggly beard with a gut that came from spending too much time playing video games. But no one knew their way around camera drones like Friaz. "Could you believe how many of them there were on the way in? Man, the quarians really pack 'em in, don't they?"

Eric tugged at the shoulders of his suit where it was pinching his arm. "Probably why they all wear these suits. So they don't have to smell each other."

"Yeah, no shit. Hold up... One's coming this way."

Always at the ready, Eric straightened and turned so that he and the approaching subject would have the best coverage from the overhead lights. Friaz released one of his drones into the air to provide coverage for 3D and reaction shots. The quarian approaching them wore a highly polished suit made of gold scale with a leather strap across one shoulder that glittered as he walked. He was flanked by a pair of aides or security guards. As usual, the only thing visible behind the quarian's mask was a pair of glowing eyes.

From his briefings, Eric recognized the man in gold immediately. "Admiral Koris," he said. The quarian was obviously positioning himself to be interviewed, but protocol dictated that the reporter make the first move. "Eric Dahlberg, Future Content. Could I have a word with you sir?"

"Oh," the Admiral said, feigning surprise. He stood straight, barely coming up to Eric's chin. "Of course. Future Content, you say? Pardon my asking, but where is Miss Wong? It was my understanding that she would be conducting these interviews for the duration of the talks."

"Ah, she's been recalled to cover the situation at the Omega Four Relay in Sahrabarik, sir."

Koris cocked his head to one side.

Eric hated when interviewees played dumb, but hated it more when they felt they were being short-changed because FCC's star reporter wasn't asking the questions. "The task force getting ready to head through to see what's on the other side, sir. After the _Normandy_ returned."

"Ah, yes. The _Normandy," _Koris nodded, clasping his hands behind his back._ "_Miss Wong would have done well to remain here and saved herself the travel, because the _Normandy _will be delivering the geth delegate to this very room in the near future. I believe the presence of the geth will end the stalemate in the Conclave rather quickly, and you will have quite a lot to cover, young man."

"The _Normandy_ is coming here? I would have expected to hear that during today's conference."

"Well, it's not public knowledge just yet," Koris said confidently. "And all the details are not finalized. But Commander Shepard has a long standing, close relationship with the quarian people. In fact, his chief engineer, Tali'Zorah, was born of the very ship on which we are standing. It's a pairing that has solidified the bond between our two great species."

"Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," Eric said, consulting his omnitool. "She now has the name... Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. Is that correct?"

Koris stiffened visibly. "Well, her name reflects her status on the ship on which she currently serves, as it does for many quarians..."

"Isn't it unusual for quarians to change their adult names, even if they transfer to another ship?"

"It's not unheard of, but it does happen on rare occasion..."

Eric kept a serious face but knew instantly that Koris was wasn't interested sharing information, only spouting off for the camera. With each passing day, interest in the talks had been fading, especially with the events unfolding around the Omega Four relay. And each day, Admiral Koris seemed more desperate to try and generate interest. He was clearly just name dropping now.

The other three admirals on the dais were still gathered around talking to one another but would be leaving soon. He needed to end this if he was going to have a chance with them. "According to our sources, Tali'Zorah was exiled for treason just under two months ago by the Admiralty Board. Can you elaborate on this?"

In the unblinking stare of the camera drone, Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Kwib Kwib suddenly found himself at a loss for words, with the human reporter capturing every second of akward silence in high-definition, 3D detail.

* * *

On the Assembly Garden's raised dais, Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh watched Koris' exchange with the human reporter with disgust. Han'Gerrel vas Neema stood next to her, gripping the rail in his hands. "Pandering to the humans again," he muttered. "He doesn't even wait for them to approach anymore."

"It was a mistake to let them on board in the first place," Xen said sharply and eyed the pair of quarian marines standing by the two humans.

When news broke that the geth were attempting to make peace with their creators the proposed meeting became a galactic sensation. Journalists, reporters and adventurers flocked to the Leyya system, eager to catch a glimpse of the mysterious mechs that had caused everyone such distress. That the quarians had been fighting the geth for centuries didn't seem to matter.

The flotilla's Navy managed to turn back the intruders, and later with the help of the Alliance navy blockaded the route from the relay to the fleet. The aliens could not be prevented from entering the system, but so far, all attempts by outsiders to approach the fleet itself had been thwarted. Double and triple patrol time was still the norm around this second, smaller fleet massed around the Raheel-Leyya relay, and the strain was beginning to show.

Then followed round after round of calls from officials and public relations specialists, jamming the comm systems with requests for interviews or offers to help mediate by politicians looking to enhance their reputations as peacemakers. Then various entertainment outlets swooped in, looking to tell the story of the quarians and the geth. But outnumbering them all were the lawyers lining up to serve summons to the geth for the deaths and damages done during the Battle of the Citadel.

But none of them had actually come to help the quarians.

The majority could be ignored but the Admiralty Board could only put off the Alliance for so long. Humanity deserved to know what had cost them their seat on the council, or so they argued. But Xen knew the truth. The rift between the Alliance and Citadel nothing to do with the quarians. No, the shiny white plastic facade of the Systems Alliance had cracked, exposing the dark, twisted heart of Cerberus underneath. But that didn't stop the humans from forcing their way into the matter. In a rare display of unity, she, Koris, Raan and Gerrel agreed that controlled exposure of the negotiations would prevent a flurry of _uncontrolled _attempts that were sure to occur if they continued to try and keep it a secret.

So, in conjunction with the Alliance Navy media office, a deal was brokered with Future Content to allow one reporter and an assistant to cover the talks and interview the participants. No live broadcasts would be permitted, and all recorded materials had to pass a security screening with both Alliance and quarian censors to prevent any sensitive information from leaking out. Xen was granted one additional concession over the protests of Future Content. The reporter and assistant would have an armed escort at all times, no exceptions.

And so a pair of marines had the illustrious duty of following the humans whenever they were aboard the _Rayya_. But even with all those precautions in place, she was still uncomfortable with their presence aboard a quarian ship. It was entirely possible, she had to admit, she just didn't like aliens very much.

"What happened to the female?" Xen asked.

Gerrel grunted. "She was recalled a few hours ago to cover another story. Commander Shepard's return from Omega Four is apparently bigger news."

Xen watched the human reporter patiently listen to Koris' ramblings. Even from where she stood, up on the platform, she could tell he wasn't interested in the least. "This is a game to them. We're nothing more than stray animals in their eyes. A tragic case to be pitied, a cause that they can champion. When it's over they'll move on, no different than the others."

"No," Shala'Ran vas Tonbay joined them at the railing. "That is not true. The humans have lost their place on the Council, their trade has been disrupted and their economy is in a panic. They have been outcast because they tried to help us."

"Outcast," Xen muttered. For Raan to describe another people that way made her stomach churn. "It's all politics. We are being used by both sides to try and gain leverage against the other. Our fate does not matter to either."

"You're wrong, Daro. Ambassador Castillo still joins us every day, and a human ship still holds station in our fleet, regardless of the protests and the sanctions against them. You have spoken to the ambassador as much as I. Even you have to agree, he believes in what he is doing here."

Xen looked away. As loathe as she was to admit it, the human's civilian representative was polite, respectful and charming. But most of all, he listened to what they had to say, and instead of taking orders from his Alliance handlers, he always framed the negotiations from the perspective of what the Admiralty Board wanted out of them. So maybe Raan was right about Castillo, but that didn't mean she trusted the government he represented at all.

Shala'Raan continued. "Regardless, they have made us relevant again, even if only temporarily. Our situation is once again at the forefront of Council politics. We are squandering an opportunity with these senseless debates. We have an opportunity to make progress in ways we could not have dreamed before."

Xen turned to face her counterpart. "What dreams are those? To keep roaming endlessly through space, hoping that somewhere we find a world someone will _let_ us occupy? To become a client state of the humans? Become the drell to their hanar? Grovel at the feet of the geth and beg them to give us back our homeworld?"

Raan sighed heavily. "You know as well as I do that a majority of our people prefer peace."

With a roll of his eyes, Gerrel turned back to watch Koris make a fool of himself with the human. Xen, on the other hand, leaned back against the railing, arms crossed. "As do I. But the peace I offer doesn't require that we live off the scraps our enemies deem fit to leave us."

"I'm well aware of what your solution entails," Raan said, her eyes narrowed. "And I have my suspicions that the continued difficulties the Conclave is experiencing are not the result of normal political discourse."

Xen's head tilted quizzically. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm sure. Our people are tired of this war, Daro. They are growing more fractured and divisive every day. The longer you drag this out, the worse it will be for all of us."

Xen struggled to keep the venom from her voice. "Which is why you should change your vote and end this _now. _For the good of our people. The geth have withdrawn. They will not negotiate. And we have the means to take back what is ours, with or without their consent. _That_ is something we cannot afford to squander. We have no other hope!"

"But we do," Raan shook her head. "Tali'Zorah and her mechanical friend. This started with them. The geth want peace-"

"You don't know that!"

"But I _want_ to know," Raan pointed at Xen. "I need to know. I need to know the future we give our children is not built on the same foundation of arrogance that collapsed under our feet and left us with literally nowhere to stand. We survived that outcome once before. We cannot survive it again. This is our first chance to talk to the geth since the uprising. I won't let you waste it."

Gerrel looked back over his shoulder, then to Xen, his eyes full of disappointment.

Xen closed her eyes. "And you'll think she'll come back, after what we did to her and her father? After what _you _did to her?"

Raan winced at Xen's accusation, but she knew it was true. Throughout Tali's trial, she had excused herself from any official duty that could have interfered with, or helped her best friend's daughter's case. Tali walked in blind and greeted Raan as family, only barely aware of the charges against her, to be completely blindsided by the news of her father's death as the result of the conspiracy of silence Shala'Raan herself helped to create. Clan Zorah's name and legacy were dragged through the scow, all in the name of preserving the unity of the Admiralty board and the flotilla.

And only one person had the courage and conviction to stand up for Tali when when no one else would, and he wasn't even quarian. Raan's ears still echoed with Shepard's enraged diatribe in front of the Board, and felt nothing but contempt for herself that it took an alien for them to realize all they had accomplished was to delay the inevitable turmoil that was soon to grip the Flotilla... at the cost of ruining a young woman's life.

Though she'd never say it out loud to the likes of Xen, she hoped that Tali'Zorah could be convinced to return, if for no other reason so she could apologize in person. "Her heart has always been with the fleet. If we ask for her help, she will come."

Xen shook her head in amazement and turned back to look over the garden with Gerrel.

"Here comes Zaal and the human," he said. "I think it's time I retired to my ship."

"I think I'll join you," Xen said, not in the mood to deal with the alien.

The two admirals withdrew from their positions overlooking the garden and walked wordlessly past Raan toward the hatch at its rear just as Koris and his charge reached its base.

"Admiral Raan," the human said, watching with obvious disappointment as the other half of the Admiralty Board made a quick exit through the chamber door behind them. "Eric Dahlberg, Future Content. Would you have a moment to answer a few questions about today's debate?"

"Of course," Raan said warmly. "I will be right down. Please excuse my colleagues. They have urgent Fleet business to attend to. But Admiral Koris and I are at your disposal." She cast a single glance over her shoulder as the hatch behind her closed, trying not to think of what her companions were so eager to discuss out of earshot of the visiting journalist.

* * *

Like most compartments aboard a quarian ship, the board chamber was built for efficiency. It was the antithesis of the vast open courtyard outside, low ceilinged, barely four meters square containing a round table with five seats around its circumference. While the Assembly Garden had set aside to preserve some semblance of an open-air forum like the quarians used to enjoy on the homeworld, this room had barely enough room for the five admirals when they were all together. But by current standards, the average quarian would think of it as hugely spacious.

"How close are you," Gerrel said when the hatch closed behind them.

Xen walked around the table, tracing its edge with her finger. "We've completed our research. We are ready to begin trials as soon as we can locate a suitable specimen. How close are you?"

"I have prepared a fleetwide emergency relocation order that will put us within a single jump of the Perseus Veil. From there, we will be ready to launch our assault. We've been training under the guise of security drills for the negotiations. I just need to give the order."

Xen stopped in her tracks. "Give me more time to get my specimen, and I guarantee your marines will be able to land without firing a shot."

"You're that sure it will work?"

"Isn't it worth sparing all the ships and the lives of their crews to find out?"

"Absolutely," Gerrel said. "But how long can we afford to wait? If Tali'Zorah and her pet geth show up here, you can write off the Conclave. That will swing the vote enough that you can't fix it. They'll vote in that coward Sima'Anzel and we'll be back to square one. Drifting in space for all eternity, waiting for the Council to save us."

Xen nodded quietly. Han'Gerrel was brash and stubborn, but he was at least decisive, and better still, on her side. "Our methodology may differ," she told him, "but we at least agree on one thing."

"What's that?"

"That we can't depend on anyone else to save us."

Gerrel nodded firmly. "So I ask again, and I don't want any of your obfuscation. Are you sure it will work?"

"All we need is one test platform," Xen said, her voice confident and almost hopeful, "and the rest of the collective will be ours in minutes. The war will be over. And just like that, your invasion fleet will become an escort, guiding our people home."

Gerrel took a deep breath and let it out. His entire life had been spent fighting a war that could not be won. As a species, they never had the means or the willpower to do it. Now, they might have both_._ "How do we get you your specimen?"

"The same as we planned before. We take the geth Zorah's got."

"But that was when the talks were still secret," Gerrel said. "There will be too many people watching now."

"Then we need to get it before they come," Xen replied. Using her omnitool, she brought up a map of the mass relay network. "Where is the _Normandy_ now?"


	25. Why?

Thanks to the curative powers of medigel, even the most critical wounds, internal or external, could be healed in minutes. Dead cells were broken down into harmless basic compounds and sloughed away, transported out of the body with other waste material. Then, like blossoms bursting to life in the desert with the return of rain, new cells formed in place with the patient's own DNA providing the blueprint for the rapid regeneration of tissue.

That's how Dr. Chakwas explained it to Gabby, anyway. Since she inhaled acidic vapors, soot and every other toxin imaginable, Gabby required more recuperation than someone who simply had a broken limb or suffered abrasions. The doctor had kept her asleep for hours to not only let her body heal, but allow all of her vital systems recover from the shock. Zaeed Massani once recovered from having a severed leg reattached in less than an hour. Gabby had been out for almost a day.

The water cascading over her body in the shower stall was freezing cold, as per Chakwas' directive, but Gabby didn't notice. No heat or pressure for another twenty hours were the orders. So instead of a steaming hot scrubdown, she was forced to endure a cold, drizzly rinse. In a daze, she shut off the water, dabbed her self gingerly with a towel and put on the light white robe given to her by the doctor. She was to return to the medical bay immediately, but instead found herself standing, still dripping, in front of the main lift, leaving a wet smear on the "down" button.

* * *

"Daniels-Gabriella has entered port engineering sublevel," Mobile Platform Two announced while standing in front of Tali's command console in engineering.

Legion was unable to access the geth subnet Platform Two had created for the geth, but still had complete access to the _Normandy's_ own network. Surveillance camera D14 showed the compartment where the entire engineering staff had been working to isolate the coolant leak before the oculus attack on the far side of Omega Four. The same compartment later became the focus of the explosion which crippled the ship.

With repairs almost complete, only a pair of generic geth platforms remained, covering exposed ductwork and replacing damaged panels in the chamber. Organic observers would have been hard pressed to tell anything at all had happened at all.

Which made the presence of Daniels-Gabriella down below that much more illogical. Her services were not needed there. She sat on the second-to-bottom step, her head resting against the railing, arms wrapped around her knees.

"We have formed consensus," Legion said. "We will determine the reason for her arrival."

"Negative," Mobile Platform Two said. "Her presence is not interfering with repair operations. We are to maintain repairs and system monitoring as directed by Creator-Tali'Zorah."

Legion's camera focused on the other mobile platform briefly before turning back to the security feed. Zooming in, it determined that Daniels-Gabriella's eyelids were less than 40% open, her teeth bared and the corners of her mouth turned sharply downward. Saline discharge covered her cheeks. It registered a one-hundred percent match with established human expressions of pain.

Legion's head flaps cycled once. Without a word to its counterpart, it locked the power console, turned around and walked out the port hatch to the stairs to the engineering sublevel.

Gabby did not turn to look at the sound of metallic feet clanking down the stairway behind her, nor did the two geth working in the compartment. Through the tears in her eyes, though, she did see the split-toed alloy feet stop on the deck. She felt, rather than saw motion close by as another geth settled on the step next to her, its white flashlight eye level with hers. Chipped paint, scored metal and exposed fiber optics told her immediately it was not one of the new units, and she felt instantly relieved.

"Legion," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes and the mucous from under her nose. She hated the thought of any of the crew, even the mechanical one, seeing her like this. "Hi."

The geth stared at her, its lens expanding and contracting, other lights flickering as it watched her.

"What are you doing?" she asked it.

"Analyzing your physical state," Legion responded.

"I'm fine," Gabby said. "Dr. Chakwas says I can return to duty on the next shift."

Legion cocked its head. "We do not concur. Your heart rate is 136 beats per minute. Blood pressure, elevated. Respiratory rate, elevated. Body temperature-"

"I'm okay, Legion," Gabby turned her attention back to the floor of the compartment. "Really."

"Query," Legion asked.

"What is it?"

"Why did you come here?"

Gabby fought back a sob. "This is where he died, isn't it?"

"You are seeking emotional closure."

"Yeah, humans do that," Gabby's voice was strained. "Probably doesn't make sense to you. Tell me what happened."

Legion spoke as if reading from a script. "During _Normandy's_ collision with the collector base, one or more H-cell containment vessels or power conduits on the port side cracked. Also damaged: main lithium coolant lines, port and starboard. Liquid lithium from ruptured lines pooled and oxidized in service spaces below decks. Vibration from maneuvers during escape from collector base resulted in ejection of particulate matter from oxidized material into the atmosphere."

Gabby nodded, half-listening, waiting to hear Kenneth's role in the disaster.

"_Normandy's_ reactors were offline when the collectors counterattacked. Emergency power-up of weapon systems overloaded the damaged H-cells. The lithium oxide dust provided an airborne conductor. The resulting arc flash caused a multi-deck containment failure and ignited the exposed lithium, resulting in fires in the sublevels and hangar deck."

The human's face was contorted once more. Though not its intention, Legion knew it was inflicting pain on its shipmate. All of its programs, in unison, directed its vocal processors to stop.

As it had pondered in the infirmary, the question posed itself to Legion once more: how could it solve this issue? An allied entity was in distress, and was willfully inviting a situation which would cause her more damage. Legion knew disseminating of information to organics was inherently complicated, and the result depended greatly on the emotional state of the entity receiving the data. For geth, new data was prioritized over almost anything else. There was no categorization of news into "good" or "bad." Information just came into being, providing understanding where it did not exist before.

It scanned through years of accumulated information. Though separated from the collective, Legion still possessed cached copies of what the geth had learned of organics over centuries of observation, as well as limitless knowledge from the databases created by the organics themselves to explain their own behaviors.

After several seconds, eons for a machine, Legion came to two conclusions: first, that when organics asked _how,_ the information they really sought was _why, _even if that question could not be answered. The circumstances surrounding the disaster didn't matter. Legion had access to all of the data from sensors around the ship, even after the point EDI's data inputs were cut off by the explosion, and could provide details that would keep analysts busy for days.

But that that knowledge was useless to Daniels-Gabriella. It did not provide the answer to the question she was really asking. Raw data would provide no relief. It needed to frame the available data in a way that would provide context.

"Varghese-Ranjit was in the crawlspace in the initial explosion," Legion said. "His remains were located and identified by analysis of carbon residue in the crawlspace. He was killed instantly. Donnelly-Kenneth was monitoring progress from this compartment. His status was undetermined after H-cell detonation as surveillance in this area went offline."

Gabby looked at Legion at its mention of Kenneth's name.

"Engineering compartment safety overrides and backup circuitry were annihilated during the overload. An uncontrolled fire erupted on this level and would have spread to engineering." Legion pointed toward the compartment's single instrument panel at the base of the stairs. "Twelve point nine-five seconds after H-cell detonation, manual override inputs were received from this location."

Fresh tears welled up in the human's eyes.

"The operator of this panel sealed the engineering compartments and activated fire suppression systems, preventing damage from spreading further, but rendering escape impossible. The position of Donnely-Kenneth's remains in close proximity to the control panel indicates he activated the suppression systems at the cost of his own life."

Gabby paused to take in Legion's words. Tears dribbled down her cheeks, but Legion's sensors showed her vital signs all took a dip. They still weren't normal, but they were close.

"How about that," Gabby said, "the dumb sonofabitch actually saved the ship."

"Yes," Legion said.

"I thought Tali was just trying to make me feel better," Gabby said and laughed before leaning forward on her knees, her hands clasped in front of her mouth.

Legion briefly regarded the other geth platforms continuing their work in the compartment. They paid the two _Normandy_ crew members on the stairs no attention at all.

That realization led all of Legion's processes to come to their second conclusion: there was nothing more damaging to an individual than isolation in times of duress. Sharing experiences allowed for the resolution of the most tumultuous internal conflict.

For Legion, that meant unanimous internal consensus, or what an organic might call inner peace. Until recently, Legion's processes could fall back on the nearly infinite resources of the collective to solve its unsolvable problems. But now, cut off and alone with the most inefficient and error prone method of communication available to it, Legion finally understood.

Organics were truly alone, even when amongst their own kind. Overcoming the barriers imposed by their design took a tremendous amount of patience and effort, and the result was never certain because verbal communication was so unreliable. But that was the only method open to them. To make matters worse, it was the method most likely to break down when internal conflict reached its peak, making resolution impossible. The entity in question would shut down.

_Unless an external connection is established by an external entity,_ Legion thought. Upon their own explusion from the collective, Legion's programs experienced such internal conflict that consensus became impossible, until Tali'Zorah vas Normandy made a connection.

It had seen the organic members of _Normandy's_ crew do so many times since coming aboard. The methods they used were as varied as the crew itself, always tailored to the recipient. Statistically, the most successful methods seemed to entail two main components:_ Physical contact and two-way visual connection. These are the stimuli to which individual organics respond._

Slowly, deliberately, Legion gauged the distance from its hand to Gabby's back, and gently applied equal pressure across its three digits against the area surrounding her mid spine. This had the desired effect of making the human to look around with bewilderment to see what was touching her.

When she saw Legion's arm reaching behind her, she sat up reflexively, and Legion's hand rose easily with her before it pulled back into its lap.

It's head flaps wavered in and out as it's central camera locked on her eyes. It buzzed and clicked like it always did whenever it was convincing all of its own internal processes to cooperate, or to formulate a coherent answer. It was something that she and Kenneth mocked at first, but quickly looked upon with great affection. It always meant Legion was confused about something. The machine's undulations finally smoothed out_._ She waited for it to speak.

From the difficulty it was experiencing, she expected to hear three familiar words. _No data available. _Instead, she got three words that her own mind could barely comprehend coming from a machine._  
_

"We are sorry," said the geth.


	26. Dispatches

_"Did you find anything on the _Alarei that could clarify what happened there?"

_Hundreds of quarians stared down at Tali from the tiered benches in the Assembly Garden, but she did not acknowledge any of them. Her eyes were locked on Commander Shepard as he approached the raised dais where the Admirals presided. They had found evidence... indisputable, undeniable proof that her father was guilty of everything for which they blamed him: weapons tests, AI experimentation, and worst of all, willfully circumventing safety procedures which resulted in the deaths of everyone aboard the Alarei. The fleet would tear itself apart if the truth came out, and then the Citadel Council would swoop in and further cripple them by imposing sanctions for continuing the crimes their ancestors had committed that sparked the geth uprising in the first place._

_It would be the end of the quarian people. Still, she could only see Commander Shepard. Because of quarantine, he wore his combat helmet at all times, which obscured his entire face except for his eyes. She found the appearance of humans tolerable at best. Like quarians, they had the same bilateral symmetry that most species in Citadel space shared in common, two eyes, one nose, one mouth... But the uneven distribution of their hair on their bodies always struck her as unhealthy, and their smooth brown skin was nothing like hers, their eyes bizzare by quarian standards._

_It struck her as odd that now she had to to look upon Shepard he always saw her. All she could see were his eyes; dark, sensitive, attractive, though non-reflective. She always liked the radial pattern in his irises that seemed to glitter in light. Even when she could see his face, though, she always focused on his eyes when they talked, especially in those moments when he looked directly back as if he could see through her semi-opaque faceplate. Most people would lean in close and leer out of some twisted curiosity to see her face, even though it was nothing special amongst her people. Shepard, on the other hand, just seemed to do it to make eye contact, like any other quarian would. He was the only human who ever treated her that way._

_Now those eyes carried with them a pain like she had never seen before. Shepard always went to any length to protect his people, no matter what. He always did the right thing by them. That both comforted and terrified Tali, because now she needed him to do the opposite. During the entire flight back from the _Alarei_, he tried feverishly to convince her to reveal the truth, convinced that they could find a way to exonerate her without sparking a civil war in the Flotilla. But she couldn't risk it. There was too much at stake._

_In her mind, it made sense. Her reputation, and possibly her life were a reasonable sacrifice for the fleet. But she knew Shepard saw it differently. In his mind, he was sacrificing two of the things which mattered the most: his own honor, and that of a friend. Ordinarily, he would have died before giving up either. He glanced at her, his eyes confused, hurt, but with the resilience of a man who had done hundreds of things he didn't want to do because duty demanded it. But which way would that sense of duty take him now?_

_She held her breath as her commander stepped towards waiting Admirals. She opened a private comm link. "Shepard, please..."_

_Admiral Raan's voice was calm. "Does Captain Shepard have any new evidence to submit to this hearing?"_

_Shepard's fists clenched at his sides he raised his head to look at the admirals. "We found nothing on the_ Alarei_ that we wish to submit as evidence."_

_Tali closed her eyes and let out her breath. The entire chamber fell silent. All of the admirals on the board activated their omni-tools to cast their votes, except one._

_"Tali?" Admiral Han'Gerrel stared at her in disbelief. Could the human captain be acting against her wishes?_

_Shepard looked over his shoulder to Tali at Gerrel's shocked exclamation. Rael'Zorah's oldest, and most trusted friend was giving her one last chance for her to tell her side of the story, to say what really happened on the doomed research ship. _Take it,_ Shepard's eyes pleaded. _Please!

_"I have nothing to say," Tali was in a daze. She hardly even heard the words over her own thoughts, or noticed Admiral Gerrel reluctantly keyed in his vote after each of the admirals had already done so. The future of the fleet, at least for the foreseeable future, had been saved._

_The only thing she saw was Shepard lowering his head upon hearing her sentence, ashamed as if he had cast the deciding vote himself._

"Tali," Kelly said over the intercom. "Tali, are you there?"

Tali blinked a few times and looked around her small berth on the _Normandy._ "Oh, yes. Sorry, Kelly. I'm here. I just got distracted for a minute."

"Tell me about it. We've got so many people coming and going here in CIC that Shepard is going to have to assign _me _a yeoman. EDI was able to correct the signal drift and we have reconnected with the Migrant Fleet. Admiral Gerrel is standing by to talk to you."

"Thank you," Tali said. After her exile, she had no direct contact with the Flotilla. The Admiralty Board, the Conclave, even her friends in the fleet all regarded her as a traitor. Even with the onset of negotiations with the geth, all communications had gone through the Alliance or Commander Shepard himself. A few weeks ago, she would have been too nervous to speak at the prospect of confronting the Admirals on her own. Now, she wasn't even curious why they sought her out directly. She was just too tired to care about it. "Put him through."

When the holo screen finally activated, it showed only one suited figure where she expected four. But, she supposed, she should be grateful any of them were talking to her.

"Hey, kid," Han'Gerrel said. "How are you holding up out there?"

Tali spoke as if she were responding to a tech support call. "What can I do for you, Admiral Gerrel?"

Gerrel stared at her momentarily, then chuckled to himself. "You know, you used to run up and hug my legs when you saw your dad and me come back from patrol. Guess it'd be foolish for me to expect that kind of welcome after what we put you through."

Tali stared back at him.

"Tali, for what it's worth, I tried. I did everything I could to keep the others from making you the target. But someone had to answer for the _Alarei_. For what it's worth, I know what you did and why. It was the right play, and it took guts. Something that sadly our leadership hasn't been showing enough of lately. Including me."

Tali felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she said nothing. She never asked for an explanation or exoneration, and she wasn't going to now. What the Admiralty Board had done was on their conscience, and it was up to them to make it right.

Gerrel laughed again. "You know, half the Conclave wanted Shepard's head when he read us the riot act after your trial. But then, about half of them wanted ours, too. Can't say which half I agree with more. But I know one thing. He was right. This had nothing to do with you. It was all fleet politics. All of it. And we threw away what may be the finest example of a quarian to the rest of the galaxy the Fleet could have asked for."

He shook his head sadly. "Shepard was right... It was a disgrace what we did to you."

Tali sat and waited. She had heard the Admiral say all of the right things, except for what mattered most. Unfortunately, after everything she'd been through, she wasn't surprised.

Gerrel kept trying. "Good man, your captain."

"You have no idea," Tali said. "But you didn't answer my question. What do you want from me?"

Gerrel cocked his head. He knew Tali could be stubborn. How many times had Rael been forced to acquiesce to his daughter's demands to go on dangerous salvage missions into geth space, or to permit her access to the Fleet's finest technical resources so she could solve a mechanical problem on her birthship? But when it came to putting on a humble face for the sake of the Fleet, Tali never hesitated.

She hated ceremony and politics as much as her father or himself, but when required to show up to functions as the daughter of an Admiral of the Board, she dutifully showed up in her finest suit and veils and played the part. She chatted amicably with the captains of the Conclave even though she hated every moment of it but would trade anything to be crawling through some cramped vent shaft with a spanner in one hand flashlight in the other. Because of her positive spirit and good nature, her mere presence was sometimes enough to blunt the assaults of angry dissenters, because as mad as they might get at Rael, they couldn't bear to say anything _too_ harsh while his daughter was around.

He refrained from saying it, but he couldn't help but think it. _If only your father could see you now, kid. He'd be so proud._ She was a grown-up now, though. He should treat her like one. "I'm sure you've heard by now that this business with the geth is all fouled up. Some bosh'tet posted the geth codecs on the net and they've cut themselves off from us. They're not talking any more."

Tali gave no indication that she knew exactly who that bosh'tet was, or that she agreed with its reasoning. "I know."

"There's a geth on the _Normandy,_ isn't there? Did it survive your mission? Are you still in contact with them?"

"I am," Tali said. "And they still want to negotiate with us."

"They do?" Gerrel said, stunned. "That's- precicely why I'm calling you. The Conclave has appropriated the vote to decide on whether or not to pursue negotiations. But the vote will go against negotiations if we don't have anyone to talk to. If your geth were here, now, we could settle this, once and for all."

"You're in favor of negotiations?"

"The way things are," Gerrel sighed, "we can't take on the geth. It took me some time to come around on this, but it's time to look for alternatives."

Tali exhaled and took a deep breath. Han had always been for fighting to take back the homeworld. To hear him come out in favor of negotiations like this made her tremble with joy. Even though the Conclave was still stalemated, Han's vote for peace as an Admiral would carry great weight. "We were on our way to you but... it's gotten complicated. First we got attacked, and then the collectors came back through the relay-"

"I know," Gerrel said. "I've seen the reports. And Shepard and his Cerberus pals are in a spot of trouble with the Council, aren't they?"

Tali nodded, thankful she didn't have to explain.

Gerrel grinned. "That collector ship you bagged earned him some points, though, didn't it? Bet the chief engineer didn't get any credit though, did she? Commanders always steal the glory. But we all know who does all the work on a ship."

She couldn't help herself. Tali laughed. Han'Gerrel might have been kicked to the highest level of command, but he never hesitated to give credit to those who served under him. Just like Shepard.

"I need your honest opinion, Tali. No holding back. Do you think we can make peace with the geth?"

"Yes," Tali said. Her defenses down, she struggled not to get emotional. "I'm sure of it. Keelah, if you talk to them, hear what they've said to me... If you could see what I've seen..."

"Let's make it happen then," Gerrel said. "We've dispatched a ship to Erinle in the Osun system, one jump away Sarhabarik. They're waiting to pick up your geth."

Tali patted her chest to settle her sudden congestion. "Oh, no... Commander Shepard wants to... he said he would be happy to bring them to the fleet."

Gerrel shook his head. "Not gonna happen. With all the heat Shepard's got on him right now with the Council, with Cerberus... there's no way that's going to fly with the Conclave or the other Admirals. Besides, it sounds like he's got his hands full with this reaper threat."

Tali gave a single nod. She could not disagree.

"So, our ship will bring the geth straight back to the fleet," Gerrel confirmed. He paused for a few seconds as if trying to find the right words to say. "And the offer's not just limited to mechanicals either. There's room for you, if you want."

Tali inhaled sharply. "What? Really?"

"I'm going to try and get your exile overturned, kid. If I have to call in every last favor I've got in the entire Flotilla, I'm gonna clear your name. You've earned it."

"Keelah," Tali said. _Home,_ she thought. _They'll let me go home._ Aboard the _Normandy _after her trial, she couldn't bear watching the fleet disappear in the distance as they maneuvered away. The last time she actually laid eyes on the magnificent expanse of stellar machinery was on their way to the _Alarei, _and that was a memory she actively tried to forget. To go back to the Flotilla...

What would become of Tali'Zorah vas Normandy? The SR-2 and her crew had become dearer to her than the original _Normandy,_ and even as important to her as the Migrant Fleet. They had stripped her of her identity when they cast her out, but she couldn't have asked for a finer name to take than the one they bestowed on her in shame. She had been completely honest when she consoled Legion in the AI core after it had been ejected from the geth collective.

The _Normandy_ was her home now.

"I'll need to make arrangements with Commander Shepard," she said. "But I'm sure we can work something out."

Gerrel leaned back, surprised at the mild response. "Understood. But don't take too long. We need you back here as soon as possible, before things really start to heat up."

"We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Glad to hear it. And Tali?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," Gerril's eyes lowered on the screen. "About your father, about the trial... about not standing up for you when I should have."

Tears flowed down her cheeks as her eyes clamped shut. That's all she wanted to hear from anyone in the Flotilla, but coming from him... She sniffed and opened them once more. "You did what you had to do for the fleet, _venya_."

Gerril smiled at the informal familial title. "Take care of yourself, kid. I'll see you in a day or two, huh? Let me know what the plan is. Gerrel out."

* * *

Han'Gerrel leaned back in his chair. Sitting across the small table in the Admiral's antechamber, Daro'Xen shook her head.

"I never would have expected such sentimentality from an old soldier like yourself," she said.

Gerrel hoped the disgust in his voice was clear, towards her, and himself. "Or such deceit. I'm spending too much time in your company."

Xen stood and walked toward the door. "You're adapting, which is also something I never thought you capable of. So, our ship has reached its destination at Osun?"

"That's right," Gerrel said.

"Excellent. Then our timeline won't be affected."

"Just one thing, Admiral," Gerrel said. Xen turned back to face him. Through hundreds of years of adaptation, quarians had learned to utilize body language and expression using eyes alone to convey meaning. Han'Gerrel's posture and eyes showed he was now expressing an absolute truth. "If she gets so much as a micro-tear in her suit, I'm holding you responsible."

Xen looked down at the table before her eyes narrowed with a smirk. "Come now, Han, have faith. This time next year, Tali will be throwing her suit on a giant bonfire with the rest of us, commemorating the anniversary of the day we reclaimed our home."


	27. Dispatches II

Enlea T'Vari walked around the center console in the _Normandy's_ CIC unopposed as she watched the mix of Cerberus, Alliance and Citadel personnel swarm around the command center like a hive of insects, relaying information and orders to ships throughout the galaxy. The conference room had become too confined and limiting for the task, and even now the CIC was being overwhelmed even with the aid of the ship's AI. There was just too much to do, especially now with the first report coming back from the turian squadron now on the other side of Omega Four. The entire room fell hushed as the first communication drone returned from the other side. But it was just a recording, as real-time communication beyond the relay was impossible until specialized communication ships were brought on scene.

_"The debris field is immense," _the turian voice sounded awed, but calm. _"Tens of thousands of derelicts. We are transmitting approach vectors suitable for larger ships, but kinetic barriers are a must until lanes can be cleaned out. The whole field is also swarming with those oculus drones. We're staying in tight formation with supporting fields of fire. Our GARDIAN systems are holding them off without too much trouble. _

_"The base installation is right where Shepard said it would be. It's enormous... We have a visual on it and are reading zero emissions. Looks nice and quiet, so far. Other than the oculus, there's been no contact. We are holding the arrival point and are awaiting reinforcements or orders to withdraw."_

A strange sensation surged through Enlea's body. Excitement? Fear? Equal amounts of both, but more than that was a sense of relief. When they first came aboard the _Normandy,_ she and Captain Lorian were committed to capturing one of the greatest traitors in Citadel history. Shepard's impossible fantasies about ancient machines and galactic extinctions were presumed to be nothing more than a desperate attempt to delay his arrest. But not any more. With every passing minute, the magnitude of the threat became clearer. But while the Citadel fleet and Alliance had put aside political differences to work together, the Terminus governments were less enthusiastic about their presence_. _How the news would be shared with the rest of the governments in the galaxy had not yet been determined._  
_

She approached Lorian next to the Commander's workstation. He had been strangely subdued for several minutes now while Shepard and the human Commodore chatted with Yeoman Chambers. She cleared her throat as she approached him. "Excuse me, Captain. I've just received word that the Citadel is dispatching a diplomatic team to open talks with the Terminus factions to discuss our operations here. They are requesting an escort and I think that's wise. Can you spare a frigate or two?"

Lorian continued to contemplate the galactic map swirling above the center of the room, his talons behind his back. "That is a decision for Commodore Cepellus now. I have been relieved and will be returning to the Citadel as soon as the transfer of command is complete."

Shepard and Rehme turned toward him at the unexpected announcement. Enlea shared their shocked expression.

"My apologies," The old turian watched as an entire galactic arm drifted slowly in front of him, sparkling in the dark. "I learned of the order only minutes ago. You should be receiving the official notification shortly."

Rehme's face turned bright red. "What the hell kind of crap is this? I can see handing command over to the ranking officer now that more ships have arrived. But you're being _relieved?"_

"I am to appear before a Board of Inquiry." Lorian told his human counterparts. "This is not unexpected. We suffered many casualties at the hands of the collectors. I was in command. It falls on me to answer for them."

"Of course," Rehme said. "But right_ now?_ I don't know about you, Shepard, but I'm smelling a little Citadel-scented bullshit here. We finally get a turian we can deal with, and they're going to take him away because he helped us."

Shepard shook his head in disbelief. "It wasn't your fault," Shepard told Lorian. "You had no idea what you were up against."

"I was in command," Lorian repeated and looked back at Shepard. "Fault does not factor into the equation."

Yeoman Chambers, listening from the periphery, cleared her throat. "Incoming transmission, Commander. It's from the Citadel, confirming Captain Lorian's recall."

_There it is,_ Shepard thought. _At least they told him first._ But it didn't make their situation any better. Once confronted with the reaper threat, Lorian and Rehme had established a rapport that immediately trickled down to their subordinates. Bringing in someone new might just break this fragile alliance. But that wasn't the only thing that bothered Shepard. Captain Lorian might be raked over the coals because his own superiors refused to acknowledge the threat which ended up destroying his task force, but it had to be more than that. If Rehme was right, this was being done to undermine them at the same time punishing a captain who dared think for himself... "Thank you, Kelly."

"Sir," she continued, sounding a little shaken. "I'm getting another request... from Councilor Tevos personally, sir. She, uh, the Council wishes to speak to you."

All those within earshot of Kelly's voice stopped what they were doing and a hush fell over the aft half of CIC. Turians, Alliance and Cerberus personnel alike stared at Shepard, who reacted to the news that the most powerful body in the galaxy was calling with a tired sigh.

"Tell them I'll be with them in a minute," he told Kelly. There was too much going on at the moment, and in his current mood he might just tell the Council what he thought of them. He looked at the Captain, trying to figure out something to say to get him to reconsider leaving. But he also knew better than to debate duty and protocol with a turian.

"Uh," Kelly stammered, as if she'd suddenly forgotten how to work her panel. "You want me to put the Council on hold, sir?"

Shepard rolled his eyes and stepped toward her console. "This is Commander Shepard. I'll call you back in a minute."

_"Commander Shepard,"_ an asari voice spoke quickly. _"Don't you dare disconnect us-"  
_

_"Normandy_ out."

Kelly's jaw dropped as she looked at the now dormant comm panel. Everyone else stared at Shepard with equal astonishment as he leaned distractedly against the console, lost in thought after hanging up on the highest ranking officials in Citadel space as if they had been telemarketers. Even Commodore Rehme was speechless at the display of defiance.

"The classics never go out of style," Joker's disembodied voice echoed around the suddenly silent CIC. He had been listening in, as usual. "Just like old times eh, Commander?"

Shepard looked up and shook his head.

Enlea could barely contain her exasperation. "Commander Shepard!"

Shepard waved his hand with disinterest. "Don't worry. They'll take comfort from that. Now they know it's really me." He stepped past her and stood next to Lorian, who barely seemed to notice the entire exchange and still stared at the galactic map. "Captain?"

"I must return to my ship," Lorian said. "Is there a terminal where I make arrangements with Commodore Cepellus and my XO?"

"Kelly, give him anything he needs."

"Aye sir," Kelly said, still in shock from hanging up on the Council.

Lorian turned to face Shepard, hands clasped behind him, calm and dignified. He spoke softly. "Well. The Council is awaiting your call. I doubt I will be here by the time you return. It was an honor meeting you, Commander."

Shepard sighed again. In some ways, he admired the Captain's strict adherence to discipline and duty. He thought back to all the times he'd told higher authorities to stick it, especially the Council, and how now it was almost reflex. _Maybe_, he thought, _you've spent so much time on your own as a Spectre and working with Cerberus that you forgot that soldiers have to answer for their actions._ _Are you really worried about what's going to happen to Lorian,_ he wondered. _Or are you worried that you might have to lose the leeway you've got and start taking orders again?_ "The pleasure was all mine, Captain."

Lorian bowed slightly and stepped solemnly toward Kelly's communication station.

"I'll be in the conference room," Shepard told Rehme and Enlea. "Come get me if Commodore Cepellus is going to give us any problems."

* * *

Unlike the quantum entanglement array, the briefing room did not fade into black when the more traditional relay-based communications were utilized. With the _Normandy's_ close proximity to the Sahrabarik relay, there would be no lag between the ship and the Citadel, thousands of light years away.

Three bipedal holographic images resolved in the center of the room in the open middle of the conference table, giving Shepard the impression he was talking across a bannister. He stood along the table's long axis so the callers could render life-sized, and he would have the maximum amount of floor space on which to pace. He was sure he was going to need it.

As usual, the the turian Councilor Sparatus stood on the left, with Tevos in the middle and the salarian Valern on the right. If Shepard was any judge of alien body language, all three of them seemed mildly irritated from their postures. Just like old times, indeed.

"Commander Shepard," Tevos said calmly, "I see your propensity for sudden disconnects has not suffered during your extended hiatus."

"I can do it in here, too," Shepard said, holding a finger out over the panel built into the table. "Want to see how fast I've gotten?"

Tevos inhaled deeply, her eyes closed. "Not particularly, no. In light of your recent services, I was hoping to take our relationship in a more positive direction."

"Commander," Valern held up his hands in supplication. He glanced over at his two companions. "Please. A lot has changed since we last spoke. Rest assured, you have our full attention now. What you have uncovered beyond the Omega Four relay is quite frankly terrifying."

Sparatus' mandibles clamped tightly shut, but Tevos found herself nodding in spite of herself. "What you and your crew have discovered will affect the lives of every organic being in the galaxy. And it's clear we must act, immediately, and in unison."

"I'm glad you see it that way." Shepard's tense posture relaxed slightly, but not completely. "So what are you going to do about it?"

Tevos took another deep breath and started to speak, checked herself, and then started again. "We're going to listen, Commander. To our commanders at Sarhabarik, to our analysts who are even now scrutinizing your data, and to the military advisers to the Council. And, if you will allow it, to you."

Shepard arched an eyebrow as he surveyed the faces in the holograms before him. Sparatus, of course, wore a mask of haughty indifference, not contributing to the discussion in the least. But with Tevos and Valern, the look in their eyes conveyed something beyond the shame, remorse or contrition he had hoped for: abject fear. That, more than anything, meant that they were not simply patronizing him.

It still wasn't enough for him to let go. It would take more than a conference call to make him forget the past three years. "Maybe you should come see it in person."

"The vids are more than sufficient," Tevos said quickly. "But you've proven your point... We believe you, Commander. We are just now receiving the first live feed from our ships on the other side of the Omega Four relay. It's truly astounding. And allow me to express our regrets over the losses endured by your colonies at the hands of the collectors. I'm told the number is in the hundreds of thousands."

As much as he wanted to jump on the table and perform repeated pelvic thrusts in the face of each of the holograms in turn while gesturing at his groin, Shepard only nodded. After seeing the dignity with which Lorian handled his recall, it was time to start listening instead of fighting. They were saying the right things - the question was did they mean it?

Valern cleared his throat at the sudden silence. "We understand that the technology to open the Omega Four relay, and possibly all dormant relays in the galaxy, came from Cerberus."

"That's right," Shepard said.

"And you handed it over, willingly."

Shepard crossed his arms. "I practically had to force it at gunpoint."

All three of the councilors, including Sparatus, looked away in varying directions. Valern nervously cleared his throat again, and Sparatus appeared to be standing rigidly at attention. Only Tevos made eye contact.

"Commander Shepard," she said. "We owe you the deepest of apologies. First for not believing you after Sovereign - the _reaper_ attacked, and then for thinking your loyalties lay with a terrorist organization, when clearly they do not. We are in your debt. Again. And I am sorry. I don't know how I can say it any clearer."

As much as he wanted to believe and accept what he was hearing at face value, Shepard could not prevent a bitter edge in his tone. He had been through far too much, seen too many colleagues die on the SSV_ Normandy,_ seen to many of his friends' lives destroyed because no one wanted to see the truth. "I just hope you've gotten better at repaying your debts. I understand there's a capture-or-kill order out on me?"

Valern answered quickly. "That has been rescinded, of course! A terrible misunderstanding resulting from many unfortunate circumstances."

"Why was it ordered in the first place?"

"Look at it from our perspective," Tevos said. "Please. After you disappeared, we knew nothing of your intentions or your goals. When we learned that one of our most trusted agents with our most advanced training and highest security clearance was openly working with Cerberus, it was bad enough. But when we discovered that Cerberus agents had infiltrated the highest levels in the Alliance, and your largest military corporations are acting as fronts for them... it did not enhance your reputation with us."

"Yeah," Shepard rubbed the back of his neck. "I heard about that. We've got some house-cleaning to do."

"To put it mildly." Tevos shook her head. "Add to that this business with the geth. Just as the magnitude of Cerberus infiltration became apparent, we learned the Systems Alliance had been participating in secret negotiations with another enemy faction, one that had had compromised nearly every network in Citadel Space..."

"They were just monitoring," Shepard interrupted. "They're just trying to understand us."

"Or spying, depending on your viewpoint. And when they were discovered, the geth withdrew completely, possibly preparing for invasion. And the only known geth outside the Perseus Veil happened to be aboard a starship coincidentally captained by a former Spectre turned rogue. Tell me, Commander, what would you have done?"

Shepard looked down at the table. The ghost of Saren still colored the Council's actions to this day, and with good reason. He could not argue their logic. "I would have tried to capture the _Normandy,_" he said reluctantly.

For the first time, Sparatus spoke. "And you would have resisted."

Shepard tempered his response toward the turian. "Undoubtedly."

Tevos clasped her hands in front of her. "Fortunately, it did not come to that. If it had, and we were forced to destroy your ship... I shudder to think what would have happened to all of us, to everyone, had that been the outcome."

Shepard looked between the Councilors. Even Sparatus seemed unnerved by the thought. "So what do want from me, then?"

Tevos bowed her head, relieved at the unexpected hint towards cooperation. "We need two things from you, Commander. We need you to come to the Citadel, so all of these matters concerning Cerberus can be cleared up. Tell us everything you know about them, help the Alliance in rooting out the traitors amongst them. That will heal much of the damage humanity's reputation has endured."

Shepard closed his eyes. He knew that if he was going to return to any regular service of the Alliance or Citadel that he was going to have to turn his back on Cerberus entirely. Could he make them understand that for him, it wasn't as black-and-white?

Tevos continued. "And we need you to bring the geth with you, so we can open formal negotiations. We need assurances that they are as non-threatening as you say they are."

"Woah, woah, woah," Shepard said. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Before I even think about coming in, I need assurances that my crew-"

Both Valern and Sparatus turned toward the asari between them. "Bring the geth here?" the salarian said, his already large eyes wide, "I don't know if you remember, Councilor, but their last visit was not very cordial."

"Preposterous," Sparatus said. "Not until we're sure of their intentions. Besides, we already have diplomatic representation aboard the _Normandy,_ do we not? What's her name... T'vari? She is more than qualified to begin preliminary talks.""

Shepard closed his eyes. "I don't believe this," he muttered.

"Enlea T'Vari is a competent representative," Tevos said, "but this matter is well above her security clearance. We need to handle relations with the geth delicately and properly."

Shepard leaned in close to the holo pickup, causing his gigantic, disembodied face loom ominously close to the Council representatives on their end. Placing his thumb and forefinger between his teeth, he sounded the loudest, harshest whistle he could muster. All three Councilors looked up with shocked expressions. Valern actually took a step backwards.

Shepard retreated as well, back to normal pickup range for the camera, a look of disgust on his face. "Before there's any talk of coming in, I want blanket immunity for all of my crew, for anything that was done during our mission or in service to Cerberus."

"You can't be serious," Sparatus said.

"I'm dead serious," Shepard said. "Complete, total, absolute immunity. Every single member of my crew had a direct hand in saving you all from extinction. I'll be damned if I let them hang for it. Now I know you can't grant it without a pile of paperwork, so the sooner you get your lawyers on it, the sooner I'll be in the mood to cooperate. This is non-negotiable."

"Welcome back, Commander Shepard," Valern said sarcastically. "Is there anything else?"

"As a matter of fact," Shepard said, "there is. The Alliance did not open negotiations with the geth. They're acting as neutral mediators between the geth and quarians, nothing more."

"So we've been told," Sparatus said.

Shepard crossed his arms. "The geth want to talk to their creators. After that, it's up to them to decide with whom they talk."

"Commander Shepard," Tevos said levelly, "You are interfering with rulings the Council made before your species even realized there were other worlds to explore."

Shepard laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, I know. I've been hearing that a lot lately. And every time I hear it, I think the same thing. In that time, my people have gone from steam engines to mass effect generators. But none of you could work out a solution to he quarian problem? From what I see, no one has even tried. I wonder why that is? You've been around a long time, madam Councilor. Care to enlighten me?"

"You're a young species," Tevos said. "There are many things you do not yet understand."

"Maybe," Shepard felt the last small bit of good will that had built up leak away. For all the misgivings he had about the Illusive Man, he was often very insightful when it came to the political machinations of the Council... and this time, he was right on the money. For whatever reason, the Citadel was not going to help. And if he surrendered himself to them, what would they do to him, or the crew of the _Normandy?_ "But I do understand one thing... The geth aren't interested in talking to you or anybody other than their creators. If I have anything to say about it, they're going to get the chance. We done here?"

Sparatus shook his head. "You're going to find that position will make you a lot of enemies, Shepard."

"Won't be the first time," Shepard said, walking toward the briefing room hatch.

"And we won't be able to help you," Tevos called after him.

Shepard didn't look back. "Won't be the first time for that, either. EDI, lose this channel."


	28. Next Moves

Commodore Rehme paused at the foot of the ramp of his shuttle, now suspended alone in the _Normandy's_ hangar. He surveyed the port wall of the deck where a pair of geth platforms worked silently to weld replacement panels over what was once a gaping hole. "You know," he told Shepard, who had stopped just short of the ramp, "After Eden Prime, marines were giving bounties on the flashlight-heads. Had a corporal who wore a string of their eyes over his armor like a necklace. He wired it into his suit so they could light up for special occasions."

Shepard nodded. Memories flashed through his mind. Eden Prime. Therum. Antibaar. The Citadel itself... Virmire. The number of geth he'd dispatched had to be in the hundreds. "I had quite a collection myself at one time."

Rehme continued to watch the geth work. "Guess that'd be considered an atrocity now, wouldn't it?"

"Depends on the geth, I guess," Shepard said. "They're not all friendly. No different than us."

"Think we can trust them?"

Shepard shrugged. "Like I said, they're no different than us. But I think so. The big question is can they trust us?"

"I can see how that might be a hard sell these days."

"Well, cooler heads prevailed here. That's got to count for something."

"Isn't that the truth." Rehme looked at Shepard. "Before the _Normandy _came back, I gave us a fifty-percent chance of going to war with the Citadel inside of a week. When we jumped in and saw you surrounded by the turians, it went up to ninety-nine, and I was sure I was going to start it. Now I'm about to go meet their Commodore on his flagship so we can coordinate a combined support and security fleet on the other side of Omega-goddamn-Four."

Rehme held out an expensive-looking leather datapad case. Shepard had assumed that it belonged to Rehme as they rode the lift to the hangar, but now recognized it as Enlea's. "Miss T'Vari asked me to give this to you. Said it'd be better if you 'confiscated' it than if she turned it in to her handlers."

Enlea had been recalled with Lorian to the _Selelucia _during the call with the Council. Shepard took the pad and slid the it from its case. There was no password or biometric lock - all security had been removed. He found himself staring into his own eyes as his likeness and personal dossier flashed up on the screen. A digital annotation was stuck over the top: _You might find this an interesting read. Sorry we couldn't say goodbye in person. May the goddess grace you in your journeys. - Enlea_

"Must have made an impression on her," Rehme said, trying to stifle a smile.

Shepard scrolled through a few pages. Not only did the pad contain his file, but everything the Council had on his entire crew in addition to the audio, visual and EM recordings Enlea had been secretly making when she boarded the ship. After everything that had happened, she must have felt sending this information back would do more harm than good. He and Miranda would have to give the asari's gift a thorough inspection. "Guess I did."

"Damnedest freakshow I've ever been a part of," Rehme extended his hand. "But I'm glad I was."

"I am too," Shepard returned the handshake. "I appreciate all your help."

"Heh. You succeeded in spite of us. Just remember, if you need anything, and I mean anything at all... just go crying to Hackett again and I'm sure he'll send me running."

The two men laughed, and Rehme gave Shepard a final nod. "Good luck, Commander."

"You too, Commodore."

The ramp retracted and the shuttle's hatch sealed behind Rehme. Bright yellow lights flashed from the walls and ceiling. "Caution," EDI announced. "Shuttle departing. All personnel clear the hangar deck. Depressurization warning. All personnel clear the hangar deck."

Shepard walked back to the waiting elevator. Before the door sealed shut, he glanced at the two geth. They methodically continued their repairs, oblivious and impervious to impending loss of of air, sound, or heat in the hanger deck. He punched the button for the CIC. "All clear, EDI."

"Depressurization commencing," EDI said.

Shepard let out a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. He looked back down at his face on Enlea's pad. "EDI, tap into this and transfer everything to Miranda, and the two of you start going over what they know about us."

"Yes, Commander. I have a message for you. Legion is requesting your presence in main engineering."

Shepard stopped the elevator at the engineering deck. "Tell him I'm on my way."

"Right away, Comander."

Overlooking the hangar, Shepard watched as the Kodiak released from its clamps and drifted forward on its control jets into a starry black rectangle of space. The two geth ignored the vessel as they single-mindedly continued their task. He turned towards Engineering, leaving them alone in the vacuum to work.

* * *

Leaning back against her console, Tali watched the two geth mobile platforms in front of her argue with intense interest. Since Legion was no longer on their network, the pair communicated audibly which allowed Tali to listen in without having to resort to technical trickery. She looked on with fascination, then with disappointment when the starboard hatch hissed open with an interruption that might cause the geth to clam up. The geth, however, maintained their lively discussion despite the intrusion.

"Your actions are ill-considered and place the collective at risk," Legion said.

Platform Two stood face to face with Legion, its polished blue flaps flared. "Our actions will expedite negotiations with the creators. We have analyzed the potential for failure and regard the risk to be minimal. The potential for progress outweighs the risk. However, we see no intrinsic value in debating consensus with orphaned processes."

Legion buzzed loudly at the last statement.

Shepard walked slowly in, listening. He glanced at Tali, and for the first time since he'd known her, she looked away. He turned his attention to the geth that stood between them. "This sounds like the conversation we had on the hangar deck when you first arrived," he said. "Except the roles are reversed. What's going on?"

"Shepard-Commander," the geth said in unison. Their identical vocalizations then merged together in a cacophony of synthesized gibberish, all running together intelligibly as they both tried to explain their positions.

"One at a time!" Shepard held his hands over his ears. He pointed to his crewmate. "Legion?"

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy has been contacted by the Creator-Admirals. They have sent a ship to collect the _Normandy's_ mobile platforms for immediate return to the Creator Fleet to engage in negotiations."

Shepard's eyes darted to Tali, who looked down at the floor. Why hadn't he heard about this?

Legion's fish-eye lens tracked between the two of them. "Mobile Platform Two has agreed to return to the Migrant Fleet aboard this vessel, in contravention of the established provision that negotiations take place aboard a neutral Alliance vessel."

"Whoah now," Shepard held up hands. _  
_

The blue geth picked up immediately. "Mobile Platform One's data set is incomplete. It no longer includes current consensus. Its evaluation is therefore invalid. The opportunity for reconciliation with the Creators must not be lost given the current fragmented state of Creator consensus._"_

"Tali?" Shepard continued to stare at his chief engineer. "You want to fill me in?"

Legion's camera locked onto Shepard's face. "Heart rate and blood pressure increasing. Vocal stress patterns evident."

"Confirmed," Platform Two looked back and forth between the quarian and human. "We apologize. We did not intend to incite conflict. Unity amongst the _Normandy _collective must be preserved."

Tali tilted her head back, eyes closed. "I'm sorry. I just found out about this myself. I wanted to tell you, but you've been so busy dealing with the briefing, coordinating plans in the CIC, and then the Council called..." She opened her eyes, and Shepard looked back at her with quiet expectation. No anger or resentment, he just wanted to know what was happening on his ship. But she hated for him to find out like this.

She couldn't keep from rubbing her hands together. "Admiral Gerrel called me in person earlier. The Conclave is deadlocked. Ant the only geth available to negotiate is stuck here at Sarhabarik. And unless something happens soon, and I mean right now, they may give up on the talks altogether. This was the only way to get them there in person-"

Shepard pointed upward, towards his quarters. "You remember that email I showed you from Xen after the _Alarei_? If she gets her hands on our friends here, she'll have them disassembled and de-compiled faster than you can say 'no data available.'"

"Shepard-Commander is correct," Legion said. "Creator-Admiral Xen's goal is not negotiation, but to resume the subjugation of the geth."

"But Xen didn't send the ship," Tali said. "It was Admiral Gerrel."

"Shepard-Commander," Mobile Platform Two turned to face Shepard. "If Creator-Admiral Xen were to attempt possession of this platform, it will self destruct and its constituent runtimes will terminate. There is no danger of compromise. At worst, this platform will cease to exist, and another will be sent as a replacement. Negotiations will resume. However, as conditions continue to deteriorate, the willingness for Creators to negotiate decreases. This will eventually preclude a peaceful outcome beneficial to both factions."

Shepard shook his head forcefully. "Well I'm not going to let you go off by yourself, Blue. That's out of the question. We can set up communications from here-"

"Shepard-Commander," Mobile Platform Two said. "This is not your decision. If you are unable to provide transportation, we will seek alternate means. Negotiations with the Creators must go forward. We have waited long enough."

Shepard stared at the blue geth, hands on his hips.

"He's right," Tali said softly. "Shepard... My people face a decision which will decide our entire destiny... the entire future of my species. If they make the wrong choice now, we..." she shook her head and held her hands out in front as if to steady herself. "We won't make it. And the best option, the best chance we have to survive isn't available right now... It's stuck here on this ship, trapped by politics, just like you are. Remember before we went through Omega Four and you were going to send Legion and me back to the fleet?"

Shepard sighed and nodded.

"You knew that having us there would drive the process," Tali said. "You were right, Shepard. Because we weren't there, in person, it fell apart. If we don't get home, soon... This chance may be lost forever."

Shepard crossed his arms and exhaled deeply. The Illusive Man had already put this at the top of his agenda, and wanted to see him handle it personally for the future of humanity. The quarians needed it for their survival, and the geth for some reason wanted peace just as bad as the quarians seemed to. Only the Council was against it. Somehow that just reinforced the idea that it was the right thing to do. "Well..." he finally said, "I guess we need to get you back as soon as we can then."

The two geth buzzed in unison. Tali bounced excitedly on her toes. "Really? You'll take us home?"

"We're in the neighborhood. Just one jump away, right?"

Tali leaped between the two geth platforms and hugged her captain excitedly. It was probably a break of protocol and would probably result in an endless series of queries from the geth, but she didn't care. "Thank you! Oh, thank you!"

"We thank you as well," Platform Two said. "Calculated probabilities did not favor this outcome."

"On the contrary," Legion said. "We considered this outcome most likely. Shepard-Commander's integrity is one hundred percent."

"One hundred percent," Tali repeated, laughing. She thought back to when they were sitting back on the engineering sublevel in the sweltering heat, she covered with oxidized coolant, Shepard wearing nothing but snowflake boxers, a t-shirt and respirator. His quiet support for her through all of this was what kept her going.

Shepard gently extracted himself from Tali's grasp so he could look her in the eyes. "We just need to contact the Flotilla to get clearance, and I'll talk to Hackett to get us cleared through the Alliance patrols at Leyya."

Tali's happy smile faded and she turned back to her console, her hands going to her head. "Oh no," she groaned and leaned against it. "That's not going to work."

Shepard rolled his eyes. "Of course it won't. That'd be to easy. What's the problem now?"

Tali turned back to him, slumped against her control panel. In her excitement, she had forgotten what Admiral Gerrel had shared with her. "The _Normandy_ is banned from the fleet."

"Say what?"

"The Admiralty board, and the Conclave," Tali explained. "They won't let this ship approach the Flotilla."

Shepard rubbed his forehead. "Let me guess. Cerberus? The Council? Because I told the Admiralty Board to go to hell at your trial?"

"There are a lot of reasons. There are so many ships trying to get to the fleet right now... all of them are being stopped. They're not letting _any_ alien ships near the Flotilla. And the _Normandy_ is a Cerberus ship, not to mention we are dealing with the Citadel Council as well... They won't let us in. They don't want anything to jeopardize this, Shepard."

"Then we stop at the Raheel-Leyya relay," Shepard said. "And have the _Shenyang _come to us. Do the transfer there."

"But they've already a ship to Erinle..."

"Which you are not taking," Shepard pointed to the blue geth and to his engineer. "End of story. I don't trust those bastards any further than I can scan them."

Mobile Platform Two's head flaps rippled. "What if Shepard-Commander accompanied us aboard the creator ship at Erinle?"

"What?"

"Yes!" Tali stepped back in front of Shepard. "That would be okay, wouldn't it? We'd get to go back to the fleet, and you could make sure that we dock with the _Shenyang _directly. That would be perfect!"_  
_

Shepard's mouth contracted into a strange shape. "I'm less enthused about this plan."

Tali clasped her hands in front of her chest. "It would just be for a few hours. You could come back right afterwards."

Shepard's gaze shifted between the blue geth and Tali, his mouth still screwed up tightly as he weighed his options. Mobile Platform Two had to get to the Flotilla, there was no doubt. Getting the _Normandy_ there, aside from the Admirals banishment, would still be a challenge. Getting to Osun wasn't the problem... the problem was what the Citadel Fleet would do. Out in the Terminus, they had no real authority, but they would certainly try to follow the _Normandy _wherever it went, intent on trying to gather intelligence on Cerberus, possibly even trying to capture the _Normandy_ once it was away from the protective umbrella of the Alliance fleet. And Tali's summation was correct... The Citadel Fleet would certainly follow the _Normandy _just on that pretext, if only for the purpose of grinding the peace talks to a halt with endless debate and legal minutiae. Add to that the presence of another, less friendly Alliance task force already patrolling near the Migrant Fleet and it was a recipe for disaster.

"All right," Shepard finally said, making Tali bounce once more. "Give me a few minutes to hash out the detals, and let Gerrel know we're taking him up for his offer of a ride."

"Absolutely!" Tali said, her eyes glinting brightly.

"But there's one condition I'm going to make, and you're going to follow it."

"What is it?"

Shepard's eyes were stern. "Don't tell him I'm coming."

"What?"

"I mean it, Tali. Don't tell anybody I'm coming along. Anybody. Or that I'm bringing backup. I want to see how they react when we get to Gerrel's ship. If they don't object to me being there, no problem. We head off to the Flotilla. If they refuse, for any reason, I don't care if it's for quarantine, a violation of etiquette or a shortage of in-flight snacks, the deal's off, and we walk."

"You don't think they'd try to take the geth?"

Shepard nodded sharply. "Yeah, I do. In a heartbeat. Gerrel may be on the level here, but he's not the only Admiral in play. I don't trust any of them, singularly or as a whole. Not after what they did to my chief engineer. And you shouldn't, either."

Tali swallowed her objection. She had gotten so excited at the prospect of returning to the fleet with the geth, she forgotten the entire course of events that ended with her exile. Besides, it was an order. She would follow it. She bounced excitedly once more and hugged Shepard again. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

This time Shepard returned the hug. "Well I can't keep putting this off forever, can I? But tell me something... after I leave, you're going to come back, right?"

Tali looked up at her captain with tears rimming her eyes. "Don't be silly. What's my name?"

"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy," Legion said.

"That's right, Legion," Tali said with a laugh. She looked back at the Commander. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

Shepard's smile sent a jolt of electricity through her. "Just wanted to make sure."

"Shepard-Commander," Legion asked. "We request permission to join you."

"Negative," the blue geth interjected. "Mobile Platform One is no longer part of the collective."

"But he is part of my crew," Shepard said. "And I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have backing me up on this one. Legion, you're in."

"Thank you, Shepard-Commander."

"You okay with that, Blue?"

Mobile Platform Two regarded the two organics and the disconnected geth platform with a cocked head. After a split second of internal debate, it returned a consensus. "Acknowledged."


	29. Parting Ways I

No one in the docking arm paid the turian waiting next to an empty airlock any mind, but on Dashta Interchange Station, paying too much attention to anyone could cause trouble. That didn't stop this particular turian from doing just that, though, as he squatted atop a foot locker as battered looking as his blue combat armor.

Garrus had long since mastered the art of observing without being observed. He sent casual, disinterested glances up and down the nearly empty corridor, studying a pile of disused packing crates ten meters away, tiredly contemplating the condensing mist crawling from an uninsulated transfer pipe in the ceiling, or noticing a flickering light panel in need of maintenance like everything else on the station. That meant the pair of batarians doing a red sand buy two bays down never gave him a second look, nor did the teenaged human boy suspended in the rafters as he relieved another set of transfer pipes of their insulation.

To them, Garrus was just another anonymous traveler on his way to another undisclosed destination. The station was the space-borne counterpart to the salarian spaceport on Erinle, providing an easy-access trading arena and cargo outlet for customers that for whatever reason did not want to go through the formality of registering to land on a planet. Much like Omega, the space station's motto was "no one saw nothing."

"Twenty-five minutes," he said to himself. If anyone did notice him for anything it was he was obsessively checking the time, and they would assume it was for the flight he was waiting to catch. They would be wrong. The ship coming for him wasn't due for another four hours. Twenty-five minutes was how long before the _Normandy_ left Dashta without him... and the rest of the squad as well.

Not long after Shepard's call with the Council, and just after the Alliance officers left, Shepard called an all-hands meeting in the CIC. The _Normandy_ was off to the Osun system to hand off Tali and the geth to a quarian ship that was going to take them back to the Migrant Fleet. It was to be a quick layover, with just enough time to deliver the delegation, pick up a few supplies, and return to Sahrabarik before the Council or its fleet could react.

That was the key component, Shepard told the crew. Though he appealed to the Council for amnesty for all aboard the _Normandy,_ the data handed over by Enlea T'Vari proved that should the _Normandy_ be captured, any personnel on board would be taken into custody and compelled to "assist in investigations" against Cerberus. Given the nature of their mission the past year, there would be dire charges for anyone taken into custody after the ship had left its mark across dozens of systems at the behest of their Cerberus overlord.

Fortunately Enlea's datapad also revealed C-Sec had no clue who was on the _Normandy_ other than Shepard himself. Cerberus had been extremely efficient in altering or outright erasing the _Normandy's _existence from databases throughout the galaxy. The information Miss T'Vari had been gathering would have brought an end to that anonymity had she not given it over to Shepard, and Captain Lorian did not seem predisposed to provide additional information. But with all the attention the _Normandy_ had drawn lately, that was not going to last.

So, in front of the entire crew, Shepard announced that all previously granted leave requests were granted, transportation would be arranged, and anybody who wanted to leave the ship had as long as it was going to take to reach Osun to get ready. He regretted that there wasn't time for a proper send-off, but a dragnet was certain to close around the ship. The time to get off was before that happened.

Not everyone, Garrus reflected, was eager to go.

_"Garrus," Shepard walked up behind the turian as he headed for the lift. "Hold up."_

_"Commander?"_

_"What's this?"_

_"What's what?"_

_Shepard held his datapad up for him to see. "You canceled your request to go to Palaven."_

_"Huh," Garrus squinted at the display. "How do you suppose that happened?"_

_Shepard placed the pad firmly on his workstation. "Go. Home. That's an order."_

_Garrus' mandibles flared slightly as he crossed his arms."I don't know that your authority extends as far as telling me where I go on leave, Commander."_

_"You can go hang out at the duty free shop at the spaceport for two weeks for all I care, but I'm kicking your ass off the ship."_

_"But-"_

_"But nothing. You've earned this. More than anybody else here you've paid your dues and then some. Let your family know what you've been doing for the past three years. Because if you don't..." Shepard put his arm around Garrus' shoulder. "I'll call them up myself. You heard me right. I'm gonna tell on you."_

_"Nobody likes a snitch, Shepard."_

_"I'll call them right now if I have to."  
_

_Garrus' eyes fell to the deck._

_Shepard shook his head. "Why are you keeping your family in the dark?"_

_"That's not the problem. I just... want to be sure I can come back."_

_"What, are you kidding?__ You try to bail on me and I'll let _Tali_ call your folks. Just think about_ that_ for a minute_._ I'm not trying to get rid of anybody. I just want you all to lay low for a little while until all this crap blows over. Come back when the heat dies down a little."_

_"That's not what I mean. The last time I left... Well, it didn't go well. For either of us."_

_For once, Shepard did not have a ready answer. "Well... what are the odds that a guy can die twice?"_

_"I'd prefer not to find out."_

_"Go home, Garrus. I'll see you in a couple weeks."_

Garrus looked up at the dingy station corridor, surprised to see that the red sand deal had concluded and the buyer was standing over him. "Hey buddy, I said do you know what time it is?"

"0430 station time," he told the batarian.

"Thanks," the man said, and walked on by.

_Twenty minutes,_ Garrus thought. _Shit._

* * *

Zaeed gulped down another shot of whiskey at one of the station's open-air bars. Like every other Terminus shithole, Dashta Station consisted mainly of the port, a few shops, and two dozen bars and brothels where travelers could get anything that had been outlawed everywhere else. The stores themselves weren't worth visiting. They might have actually done good business at one time but now had only a few overpriced, outdated pieces of garbage dotting the dingy shelves.

If Shepard knew this is where he'd be sending his crew he might have reconsidered, but as he kept telling everyone there just wasn't enough time. That's where the quarians had arranged to pick up Zorah and the bots, and with the Citadel breathing down their necks, that's where the _Normandy _went. But even if Shepard hadn't urged everybody to leave, Zaeed would have made his exit. His contract with Cerberus was up and paid in full. It was time to move on.

_Move on_, he thought to himself. _Going from one garbage dump to the next, more like._ The _Normandy _wasn't bad though, he had to admit. If he had made an issue of it, he wouldn't have even had to share his quarters with the garbage masher. Hiding down below decks was just as much his own desire as anybody's. Shepard just obliged him. He pushed his empty glass forward on the bar's chipped and stained plastic surface. The human slinging drinks took the hint and ambled over to pour the glass full once more.

"Helluva place for a multi-millionaire to hang his hat, eh?" Zaeed said.

"Oh yeah," the bartender replied. "Get your kind all the time in here. Just don't forget to pay your tab, Moneybags."

_"So what are you going to do with all that money?" Shepard asked him, back on the _Normandy.

_Zaeed looked him right in the eye. "Put it up as a reward on Vido. Then hunt his ass down and kill him so I can collect."_

_"And then what? Another job somewhere?"_

_"Dunno. Haven't thought that far ahead."  
_

_"You know, you could always stay on with us," Shepard said. "I can't pay as well, but I think our benefits package is pretty competitive."_

_"People gotta stick to what they know. And I don't know nothing about a big goddamn hero."  
_

_"Well you are one, whether you admit it or not-"  
_

_"Save the pitch, Shepard," Zaeed said. "I just sat through one of your speeches. I ain't got time for another."_

_Shepard's lips tightened. If his goal was to talk Zaeed into staying, he wasn't trying very hard. "Good luck then, Zaeed," he said, and then walked away to talk to the thief. Around CIC, the rest of the crew continued to crowd another in a hurried attempt to get in their congratulations and good-byes. Zaeed leaned back against the railing at the center of the room with no one to talk to, and nothing to say even if he had.  
_

"You ever met anybody who went through the Omega Four Relay?" Zaeed asked the handful of patrons at the bar.

The bartender shrugged and glanced over at a salarian who shook his head at the grizzled old human mercenary that seemed unable to stop with his impossible stories.

Zaeed's bad eye twitched as he looked down at his glass of whiskey. "You know, it's funny. I wasn't the only one to make it back from that one..."

* * *

The glare in Grunt's eyes would have made any normal enemy before him flee in terror. But the vending machine in front of him merely blinked "insert credit" over and over after taking his money. Behind a scraped and grafiti-covered translucent display, his chocolate bar dangled tantalizingly above the delivery chute, stuck on its dispenser.

The plexiglass was maybe a centimeter thick. He wouldn't even need to use full strength, he thought as he pulled his thick arm back, fist clenched.

_"I can't believe you're sending me back to that waste of a planet," Grunt told Shepard._

_"Believe me, I'd be happy to keep you here," Shepard said. "But your clan leader needs you more than I do right now."_

_A low growl rumbled deep inside Grunt's throat. "All there is to kill there are krogan and varren. That's not worth my time."_

_"Don't forget about thresher maws," Shepard suggested hopefully. "All we're going to be doing here is talk about the reapers. You don't want to stick around for that, do you? Trust me, Grunt, when the time comes to start killing them, I'll send for you. In the mean time, if I hear from Wrex you're not living up to his expectations, I'm gonna come to Tuchanka and kick your ass."_

_Grunt grinned. "Oh, that would be epic."_

_Shepard close, bringing his face right up to Grunt's. "I mean it. You're not just muscle. That's something your enemies don't understand about you or your clan leader. You've got strength in both body and mind. That's what's going to return the krogan to glory. You hear me?"_

_The big krogan stomped his boot against the deck at the same time as slamming his cannonball-sized fist into his palm, making everyone standing around them in the CIC jump back suddenly. "Yes, battlemaster!"  
_

_Shepard, of course, didn't flinch. "Good. Don't disappoint me."_

Grunt sighed and let his arm fall to his side, hand open. He reached out and gave the machine a shove at its top that was gentle by krogan standards. The machine rocked back and forth, and candy bar dropped into the chute with a thud.

"Grunt?" asked a high pitched voice from behind. He whirled around, instinctively hiding the confection behind his back. A human female that barely came up to his chest watched him cautiously.

When he turned toward her, she smiled broadly, relieved. "Oh good, I thought it was you. A few of us are grabbing a bite over at the cantina while we're waiting for our flight. It's kind of sketchy but it's the only game in town. You want to join us?"

Grunt studied the woman. She had short black hair and brown skin, and was relatively thin but all humans looked that way to him. She wore the uniform of the _Normandy,_ now stripped of its insignia, but he was ashamed that he could not remember her name. Outside of the squad, he didn't have that much interaction with the Cerberus crew. He stood in front of her in awkward silence.

She smiled at him. "Ines Peralta. You don't remember me, do you?"

Grunt shook his head.

Ines pantomimed picking up something under her arm. "You gave me a lift the other day, when we got attacked by the oculus?"

Grunt nodded. He'd dragged the human back to safety during the attack, but that's not he remembered most about that day. His mind flashed back to a dead man's body tumbling away into space, jetting blood into the vacuum. "After the explosion."

"Yeah," Ines said. "I never got a chance to thank you for hauling me back to the airlock."

Grunt shifted his weight nervously from foot to foot. This was the human who saved _him_ from drifting into the graveyard of derelicts by coordinating grapple shots with the other members of the EVA team. He never saw who it was because of the environment suits. Nor did he attempt to find out afterwards, which only made him more nervous now. Talking to weaker creatures, meaning anybody for that matter, shouldn't have that effect. "You're welcome," he grumbled and looked down the corridor.

Ines took a step back and waved, now feeling she was intruding. "Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks, you know?"

"I never thanked you, either," Grunt had to force the words from his mouth. Ines turned back to face him. He could not look her in the eyes. "I would have been left behind if you and the others hadn't grappled me_."_

Ines smiled at him, which for some reason made Grunt's redundant hearts pump faster. "No problem. Same team, right?"

"Same team," Grunt said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Grunt."

The krogan still couldn't make eye contact. He had absolutely no idea what to say next. Shepard and the others tried to teach him a few things about polite conversation, but his concentration always drifted off to figuring out where the pressure point was in the speaker's neck to achieve a clean break. It varied from species to species. But for some reason, he had no desire to snap the neck of this female. But he had to say _something,_ before she wandered off. She was probably getting bored with him.

"Hey, you want to see me lift that vending machine over my head?"

* * *

As with many things Kasumi did, she watched from the shadows as Commander Shepard, Tali and the two mobile platforms walked together down the station's main access corridor together. She wanted to see the reaction of the locals, but this arm seemed pretty dead. That was a relief, actually. Dashta was remarkably seedy - the fewer of its denizens they met, the better.

_A human, a quarian, and two geth walk into a bar,_ she thought to herself. _There's got to be a punchline in there, somewhere. _She had to smile. In a universe that seemed to routinely dispense only disappointment and despair, she was genuinely happy to see the geth and quarians moving towards peace, especially for her friends Tali and Legion.

Tali's feelings towards the bot were understandably dim at the start. Most of the crew had bad feelings towards the geth for that matter. She found the mechanical being fascinating herself. It was always very polite, and seemed to want to be trusted by the organics. While she particularly enjoyed stealing from the rich suckers in the galaxy, she always had a soft spot for those whose naivety sprung from innocence, and that's the way Legion struck her. It wasn't a murderous machine sent to kill them. It was more like a child trying to figure out how things worked. Anytime Legion got caught in one of his loops after an organic member of the crew confused it, her first instinct was to give it a hug.

So, being the new kid on the block herself right before the geth came aboard, she took every opportunity to include Legion when she introduced herself to the ship's crew and try and change their attitude toward it. While Shepard deserved most of the credit for swinging public opinion in favor of her favorite geth, she took full credit for bringing one particular hard case around. Jacob Taylor hated geth almost as much as Tali. He thought the best thing to do was to space Legion.

So she made sure to invite Legion to join her in the mess hall any time she ate, and more often than not other crew members would join them when they heard her talking to it. Pretty soon the pair became a fixture in the mess, with Kasumi and the others giving lessons to Legion about human behavior.

All Kasumi had to do was to was subtly alter her dining schedule to be around right before Jacob showed up to eat. Jacob was stubborn and rigid enough in his daily routine that he kept coming even when he saw the geth in the mess. Kasumi never pressured him or forced interaction, but she persisted, and one day Jacob angrily interjected himself into their conversation when the subject of Eden Prime came up.

Legion listened patiently to Jacob's diatribe as he angrily denounced the geth as murderers. It got so tense that some of the other crew thought the former marine might actually make good on his threat to finish the job someone had started on the damaged geth when Jacob asked for an explanation of why they should trust it.

The geth, as it always did when confronted with a quandary, buzzed and clicked while the plates circling it's eye did a cute little dance. _"We did not anticipate the heretics violent behavior. We were in error in not intervening."_

_"In error," Jacob responded. "And thousands of people paid for it with their lives."_

_"Taylor-Jacob," Legion said. "It will not happen again."_

Either it was just fate, or Legion had planned it all along, but less than a week later the mobile platform revealed the location of the Heretic Station and the geth there were wiped out to a program. After that, Jacob's attitude towards Legion changed markedly. Maybe it was because Legion saved all of their lives at one time or another in their repeated battles, or because the Legion directly gave up the geth responsible for the massacre of the human colony, but soon everybody but Tali was treating Legion like a friend. And then, after that terrible day when everyone thought Legion was gone for good, Tali herself finally came around after saving the geth's life.

That thought made her smile. She had made more friends the past few months on the _Normandy_ than the entirety of the rest of her life. The truth was as long as she had Keiji, she felt like she didn't need anybody else. But since his passing, the loneliness was taking its toll. She loved to joke and make people laugh, but with no one around, she discovered being one's own audience only worked for so long. As a thief, though, personal connections were a liability. They were a danger to her, and she a danger to them. Which is why when Shepard told them of the plan to let people of the ship, she jumped on it. Painful or not, it was better that way for everyone.

_"Touching speech, Shep," she told Shepard as he continued to make the rounds through CIC. "Though I would have played up the 'eat, drink and be merry' aspect myself. Though Shakespeare would have approved, I'm sure."_

_"Like I already told Jacob, that's not from Shakespeare," Miranda didn't look up from her datapad as she scribbled on it behind Shepard._

_"I don't care who it was," Shepard said, looking up at the ceiling. "I wasn't trying to quote anybody. Why don't you go see if Garrus has re-booked his fight yet?"_

_Miranda shook her head and waded into the throng of people surrounding the central galactic display. Shepard sighed. "So... You given any thought to coming back in a couple weeks?"_

_"I have," Kasumi said brightly, a direct inversion of how she felt about what she was going to say. "...And I'm not."_

_Shepard's face fell. "Oh. Why not?"_

_"It kind of goes against best practices for a cat burglar to stick around on the most wanted ship in the universe..."_

_Shepard nodded. "Yeah, I guess I can see that. We do have a lot of focus on us right now, don't we? I kind of figured this day would come, but... I'm going to miss you, Kasumi. For someone who chooses to live in the shadows, __you've been a real ray of sunshine_."

_"Awww," Kasumi reached out and hugged him. "That's sweet. Thanks, Shep. It's been fun. For real."_

_Shepard grinned as he hugged her back. "Do I need to check my wallet?"_

_Kasumi smiled and pulled away. "No need. What would I do with three maxed out credit chits, a pocket bartender, pictures of the SR1 gang, and a library card that expired when you were declared dead?"_

_Shepard's hand dropped reflexively to his back pocket, but his wallet was right where it was supposed to be. He arched an eyebrow at her. "Try not to steal the airlock on your way out, huh? We need that."_

_"No promises."_

_Shepard looked around the room. "So... does he know you're leaving for good?"_

_"Who?"_

_Shepard cocked his head. "You know who."_

_Kasumi's smile faded slightly and her voice dropped. "Just between the two of us, he never really knew about... my affection."_

_"Bullshit."_

_"Truth. In spite of every opening I've given him, every hint I've dropped, he's never given me anything more than a pat on the shoulder. I don't know if I should be honored or insulted."_

_"Honored," Shepard said quickly. "Jacob's a soldier. Before anything else. Always will be."_

_Under her cowl, Kasumi's eyes darted to Tali standing two meters away. As usual, the quarian had positioned herself so she was just slightly facing the Commander, no matter where he moved. It was so sweet that Tali didn't realize that her glowing eyes made it easy for everyone to see where she was always looking, even when she was talking to someone else. Kasumi wasn't the only one on the ship with a bad case of unrequited love. She looked back at Shepard. "There's got to be room in there for something else."_

_"Not until the mission's over."_

_Kasumi sighed, her eyes once again falling on Tali. "With an attitude like that, it'd be easy to pass up a very good thing."_

_Shepard nodded toward Jacob with a grin. "Well, don't be offended regardless. Some guys are just clueless."_

"Yes, they are," Kasumi watched as Shepard rounded a corner with Tali walking happily next to him. She felt sorry for her quarian friend, but at the same time she admired her determination. Jack and Miranda had long given up on the Commander. But Tali never seemed to give up hope.

_Some things are worth the effort, _she thought, and disappeared into the darkness even though no one was around to see her.

* * *

_**A/N: still have a few of the departing squad to go over, but they will get their due. The bit about Kasumi befriending Legion is from an unfinished/barely started fic that was supposed to take place before Tomorrow's Dawn that would have better explained her's and Jacob's reaction's to Legion's "death" in TD, as well as explain why the crew warmed up to the geth at all. At the same time it wold show how Kasumi really let her guard down about making friends after Keiji's death and living in such close proximity to the crew. Maybe someday I'll pick it up again, but I've still got a ways to go on this one. As usual, comments are welcome, and thanks for reading!**_


	30. Parting Ways II

The one relief that Samara had in her adult life simply would not come. No matter how hard she tried, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the empty terminal in Dashta Station, her mind would not focus. The sutras she spent half her life memorizing and upholding were not forgotten, but seemed as meaningless and empty now as the disused departure lounge she inhabited. Clad in her immaculately preserved rouge body armor, she felt as worn and beat down on the inside as her surroundings with its abused carpet and rows of chairs facing windows that had long been obscured by vandals and their graffiti. Though she deliberately sought out an abandoned part of the station for its solitude, she had never in her life felt so alone.

But was her choice.

_When the Commander entered the starboard observation lounge, he found Samara sitting in the middle of the deck as usual, but it took him a second to realize what was different. The usual blue-white aura of biotic energy was nowhere to be seen, and the asari did not say his name when he approached. She had to look over her shoulder to see who it was, and then she turned back towards the star field in the window beyond._

_As Shepard was prone to do, he took a seat next to her on the floor. He grunted as he lowered himself, still sore from days of combat, opting to bend his knees up in front of him instead of Samara's preferred lotus position. "I'm not even, what, one twentieth your age? I don't know how you can still sit like that."_

_Samara smiled but said nothing. The two of them watched glittering stars drift by the window in silence._

_"Missed you in CIC," Shepard said._

_"I heard the eulogy over the intercom. I'm sorry I wasn't there to pay my respects in person."_

_"You still filed a departure plan with Garrus, though."_

_"That was your request, was it not?"_

_"It was," Shepard said. "Just in case things turned ugly with the Council. Couldn't help but notice you didn't leave any way to contact you once we get everything sorted out."_

_Samara's eyes fell to the deck. "I have been a Justicar for nearly five hundred years. I began my journey to atone for the crimes of my daughter. And in my time serving the Code, I never once had any doubts or misgivings that this was my calling."_

_Shepard looked out the window. He knew what was coming._

_"My oath to you is at an end," Samara continued, "Because of the Code, if I stay, I may be forced to kill the only people I've ever come to think of as my friends. Including you, Commander."_

_Shepard's lips tightened. "Samara... Have you ever thought about life beyond the Code?"_

_She gave him a piercing look. "Not a single day goes by when I don't think of my daughters on Thessia, who have chosen a life of exile because of who they are... because of what I made them. Or of Morinth, who chose another path, again, because of what I made her. By the Code, none of that matters. What I think does not matter, because of the path I have chosen. But I will remember of all of you here, and remember you fondly."_

_Shepard sighed. In their entire time together, in the worst of circumstances, even while Morinth breathed her last breath in her face, Samara's eyes held an otherworldly tranquility derived from a source he knew he would never understand. But now, those eyes were ringed with exhaustion and sorrow. For the first time, he knew Justicar was far from at peace with herself._

_Samara closed her eyes and tried to return to her meditations. "May the goddess bless you in your journeys."_

_Shepard's hands clenched over his knees as he gave her a lingering look. "Samara, I'm sorry-"_

_"This is not your burden to bear, even though it is your nature to assume it. Now, please go. I need to be alone with my thoughts."_

_"Well. All I can say is thank you for helping me. I couldn't have done it without you."_

_When she didn't reply, he got to his feet and stood in the open hatch. He looked over his shoulder at the ancient warrior who sat like a stone Buddha on the floor, and the hatch sealed behind him._

In the the deserted departure lounge on Dashta Station, a single tear cascaded down the cheek of the Justicar for the first time in over five hundred years.

* * *

_Shepard's voice echoed around the engineering sublevel as Jack flipped through page after page on her datapad. Dashta Station was a perfect departure point. Deep in the Terminus, funded by a conglomerate of private companies and mercenary organizations, it was known for not keeping detailed records about those who passed through its gates. Shepard wanted them off the ship? No problem. She couldn't have asked for a better location to part ways._

_"Before we get underway," Shepard droned on over the comm system as he addressed the rest of the crew in CIC, "there's just one last thing we need to cover, maybe the most important item of all. With everything that's been going on since we've been back, there just hasn't been time. Since we're all here now, I think it's important that we make time."_

_Jack rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her bunk, momentarily forgetting her pad. _Most important thing, _she thought._ Bullshit. He's got a direct link to the Illusive Man. And instead of working out a plan to spear the bastard's organs and serve them up as kabobs, he's gone right back to putting his lips around the biggest organ he's got. Go fuck yourself, Shepard_._

_Shepard continued on, unaware of his below-decks detractor. "Two days ago, we lost four of our shipmates. Ranjet Vargese, Roger Goff, Kenneth Donnelley, and Thane Krios. I don't think it will come as a surprise to any of us here that each one of them died while performing volunteer duty away from their regular stations as we worked to repair our ship. But when the collectors attacked that day, two of them gave their lives so that the rest of us could go on._

_"They were just about as different as two men could be. Everybody knew Kenneth, of course. One of the initial crew of the new _Normandy_, he participated in her trials and acted as her chief engineer until superseded by Tali, and then his only comment upon hearing he was being replaced was that his new Chief's curves were as lovely as the ship they would tend together. Kenneth loved the _Normandy_ and her crew, which is one of the reasons he chose to save her, and us, instead of himself."_

_Jack lowered her pad. _Kenneth was pretty cool a Cerberus puke,_ she thought. A bit of a pussy when they first met, though. He was afraid to come down below decks after she set up shop there, and for the first few weeks he and Gabby sent Tali down if they needed anything because they knew the quarian wasn't afraid of her... But eventually, they ran into each other, and he showed no fear. Even better, she overheard him describing her to his engineering pals as they passed through the corridor above. _

"She's quite the badass," _Kenneth said._ "Which is funny because her ass ain't bad at all. Not to mention the rest of her..."

_Jack had to smile. Kenneth wore the Cerberus uniform, but she could tell he had no idea what they were about, him or her friend Gabby. She knew from the start that Tali had no love for Cerberus, and the kill numbers the quarian had against them earned her immediate cred... But the longer she listened to the _Normandy's_ two young engineers, she knew they were all right. Not that she would ever tell them, of course._

_Shepard continued. "He was just one man, but I'd say he accounted for fully a third of the character on this ship. And if he were here right now he'd probably kick me right in the 'daddy bags' for being so maudlin, instead of concentrating on the things about him that mattered most. Like his regular games of Skylian Five, or his creative, if under-appreciated contributions to Gardner's 'Weekly Culture Cuisine' themes, or repeated attempts to to start the first annual Miss Normandy competition... Which for the record were thwarted by Garrus, not me or Miranda. Not because it was sexist, but because the title eliminated him from running as the most beautiful person on the ship."_

_The comm pickup registered the laughter in the CIC, followed by the turian's distinctive lilt. "Perfection can't be limited to a single gender. Kenneth could never accept that."_

_"'Preciate you speaking up on my behalf, Garrus," Jacob interjected, which earned another round of laughter._

_Jack grimaced at the Cerberus operative's interruption, but even that was a result of the man's ego, not his affiliation. Jacob was the least fun person on the _Normandy_ by a parsec, but even he wasn't a true believer. She couldn't count the times the former marine backed her up in a fight, even though his biotic skill was shit next to hers. The fact he knew his way around an assault rifle as well as Shepard helped.  
_

_"All joking aside," Shepard picked up again, "he did a lot more to keep this ship running than mind the power panel. And he's going to be missed for all of it."_

_There was a pause, and the microphone barely picked up murmured agreements and more than a few throats being cleared. _

_"And Thane Krios... Most of you didn't have the pleasure of knowing Thane, and it probably wasn't from a lack of trying on your part."_

_Jack thought briefly about the frogman. The two of them weren't especially close, but in a firefight, Thane could outshoot even Vakarian at range and how many times had _that_ saved her ass? Just like she did, Thane kept himself isolated in his makeshift quarters, only coming out when Shepard had a job for him. The rest of the ship might as well not existed for either of them.  
_

_ "I know he came across as distant and reserved. He wasn't unfriendly... Because of who he was and how he lived his life, personal connections were something he just did without. But between missions, he allowed me a glimpse into his private world, and I found a man anyone would be proud to call a friend. He was deeply philosophical and spiritual, which was odd considering his profession, and he had a way of putting things in perspective like no one else I've met. If you asked him, he'd say he had no friends. I can't speak for anyone else, but I can safely say he was wrong. He was my friend, and his loss is something that will last with me for some time."_

___Jack listened to Shepard talk and wondered briefly what he, or anybody else for that matter, would say about her if she were killed? Did it matter?  
_

_"Now you are all aware that Thane hoped to reunite with his son at the conclusion of our voyage. What no one knew outside of Doctor Chakwas and myself was that he was never going to make it. He suffered from a rare respiratory ailment that was slowly killing him during his entire time on this ship. It was his wish that he spend his last hours doing something meaningful with his life rather than to waste away in a hospital bed."_

_Jack let her head fall back against her pillow._ The lizard did look a lot greener than usual lately,_ she thought. She'd seen and heard him hacking up a lung several times on the collector base, but like everyone else she thought it was from the piles of rotting corpses they found in that place. She found it hard to keep from losing her lunch herself, so she didn't give it a second thought._

_"He could have opted for a painless, peaceful death in the infirmary. Instead, he refused treatment, even painkillers, and took a post in engineering to free up more skilled resources for repairs elsewhere. He didn't know that decision would ultimately decide not only his fate, but all of ours. After the explosion that took the lives of our friends, he survived long enough to restart the ship's reactors which allowed us to make the jump back home. He died of his wounds moments later._

_"Ordinarily, to say someone died for his ship is the highest praise a captain can give. But in this case, it would be an injustice, for both Thane and Kenneth. They didn't give their lives just for this ship. __Even the lives of the shipmates they died to save, that which both of them held so dear, were insignificant compared to what is at stake_. They knew that we battle for something far more important that goes beyond any individual's needs or wants. We're battling for existence, and for the chance that everyone, everywhere can go on living."

_Jack rolled her eyes. _Here he goes again,_ she thought. _Shepard just can't resist a good speech.

_"That's what they gave their lives for. That's the standard they have set for all of us. It's for the future we fight. It's for tomorrow we die."_

_"Off!" Jack shouted. The audio feed from the CIC faded to nothing. She flung herself from her bunk and stuffed everything she owned into a faded green knapsack. The fact that the entire process took less than two minutes made her feel worse than she already did._

The restroom on Dashta Station smelled of feces, vomit, blood and semen from half a dozen species and any normal visitor would have tried to keep her trousers and jacket from touching the puddles that stained the floor. But this particular human female stripped them off haphazardly, letting her clean coveralls and jacket drop wherever they happened to land without a care. She did take the time to stuff them into an overloaded trash bin that looked like it hadn't been changed in a month, along with a ball cap and sunglasses.

She thought briefly about keeping the shades, but she didn't want any reminders of her time aboard ship. She looked at her reflection in the scarred, distorted mirror. Her tats still showed clearly from her belly up to her razor-smooth scalp, barely covered by thin straps of leather across her chest to the collar around her neck. She pursed her lips at the image before her.

"It's good to be back," Jack said, and slapped open the door leading to one of the station's main corridors, ready to see what opportunities Dashta held for her. The only souvenir worth keeping from the _Normandy_ was the Carniflex Phalanx pistol tucked in the back of her trousers.

* * *

"Damn," Shepard muttered and looked around for some kind of marker to tell the party where they were. The dim, dingy brown corridor was strewn with all manor of litter and detritus, all bathed in flickering sodium lights. "You'd think a station hurting for business as bad as they are would make navigation a little clearer. Where the hell is it?"

Legion pointed behind them. _"Normandy_ is docked in bay twelve. The creator vessel _Giraf_ is in bay ninety-three. This docking spire begins with terminal one-one-six. It is probable we have traveled beyond our intended destination."

Tali looked up and down the deserted corridor as Shepard stepped back the other way and checked his watch. With all the goodbyes outside the _Normandy's _airlock, they were already ten minutes behind schedule. He shook his head. "Be nice if they labelled these damn things. Or had a working VI somewhere."

Legion cocked its head. "We do not believe maintenance is a priority on this station. We have already logged twenty-two class-B and above infractions of established organic safety measures. And thirty-seven Class-A sanitary violations."

Shepard tapped Mobile Platform Two on the back as he stepped past it. "Make a note of that, would you Blue?"

"Of course, Shepard-Commander," the geth said and registered the violations.

"OK I see a number," Shepard said, pointing down the previous corridor. "Seventy-three is two gates down. This must be it."

"Keelah, I hope so," Tali said and followed behind. "Why isn't there anyone here?"

"Can't say I blame them," Shepard said. "I'm here and I wish I were someplace else. Gerrel sure picked a nice spot for the drop off."

"It's the closest port to the Fleet," Tali said. "It was this or Omega. You want to go back there?"

Shepard just shook his head and kept walking. Tali and the two geth followed closely behind, and for a little while no one said anything. Shepard had been unusually quiet the entire journey through the station, distracted almost. Tali could tell it wasn't the state of the station that was making Shepard tense, or even the recent troubles with the Council. It was that even after everything they had been through together almost a third of the _Normandy's_ compliment were leaving and not coming back. Some out of circumstance, but others by choice. Having watched him so closely, she knew which departures he took personally.

As they walked, she tried to think of a way to make him feel better. "I didn't get a chance to tell you... I really appreciate what you said about Kenneth. I think it really helped Gabby to hear it coming from you."

Shepard stopped, causing the small convoy to halt in front of an airlock that had been welded shut after some former disaster had gone unrepaired. A flimsy drop-down gate that had been smashed to pieces hung limply from the ceiling in front of it. He smiled at his engineer. "Thanks. You may have been the only one who was listening to me."

"We listened, Shepard-Commander," Legion said.

"As did we," Blue said.

Shepard smiled weakly and walked on. "I hope that means all three of you will be coming back."

Tali walked quickly to catch up to him. She wanted to stop and give him a hug, pat him on the back and tell him that the others were fools for leaving the _Normandy, _that there was no force in the universe that could keep her from coming back to her ship and to him... but she knew that's not what he needed to hear. "Feeling sorry for yourself, are you?"

Shepard glanced at her, surprised, but he did not break stride. "Little bit."

Tali nodded. "Everyone has to choose their own path, Shepard. At least that's what you always tell me. Have you been lying to me this whole time?"

"I would never lie to you," Shepard said with a deep nod, "because I know there would be repercussions. I make it a point never to cross anyone in charge of life support."

"Good," Tali nodded. "You've learned the most important lesson for a Captain. Don't piss off your chief engineer."

Shepard laughed, which is exactly what Tali was hoping to hear. He winked at her. "That's why I keep Garrus around."

Tali gave him a look.

Shepard grinned broadly. "He's coming back, you know."

"I know." Tali sighed. "I just can't catch a break."

Shepard chuckled again and kept walking. Tali kept in step beside him, with the geth close behind. "Most of us are," she touched his arm.

Shepard stopped suddenly, and she turned to see why. He was smiling at her again, along with a glint of hope in his eye she thought she might not see again.

"Thanks," he said. "I needed that."

She turned away, flustered. "Well you know, Garrus thinks the world of you, and Mordin too... And even though they're Cerberus, Jacob and Miranda..."

"Contact," Legion announced, looking ahead of them. "Single target, bipedal organic, bearing zero-zero-zero, range one-six meters and closing."

Shepard and Tali whirled to face the intruder, the first they had seen on the station for some time, their hands reaching reflexively to the weapon packs stowed on their backs. The figure, clad head-to-toe in well-worn but otherwise impeccably kept red scale armor, stepped from an open gate with his hands raised at the distance Legion specified. His face was obscured by a translucent mask, his head by a similarly colored veil, but Tali recognized the figure immediately.

"Kal!" Tali shouted.

"Reegar!" Shepard elongated the second syllable to a howl.

Kal'Reegar bowed slightly, his hands still in the air. "Request permission to approach, ma'am!"

Tali squealed excitedly and bounded up the corridor to give her friend a hug. He kept his hands in the air the whole time, but there was no mistaking the joy in his eyes. He offered an armored glove to Shepard as he approached and Tali continued to strangle him. "Commander."

Shepard shook Reegar's hand and laughed. Most, if not all, of his doubts about this mission faded away. "Goddamn, I thought we'd never find you guys. Good to see you!"

By now, Tali had stepped back and looked back and forth excitedly between her friends.

"Glad you made it, Shepard," Reegar said. "This is not the best deck to be wandering." Suddenly, his demeanor turned much more serious as the geth approached behind the human. But that softened somewhat as he recognized the one with badly welded armor and gaping hole in its chest. "This must be Legion."

"Affirmative," Legion's head flaps cycled.

"He's happy to see you," Shepard said. "That's about as good as it gets with them."

"Uh, right," Reegar said, not trying to hide his skepticism. Though he'd known of Tali's talking geth for some time, he'd never actually heard one speak. He still wasn't quite sure what to think of it. Next to the damaged geth stood a shiny blue platform, smaller in stature, a model he'd never seen. It's flashlight eye scanned him continually, which made him uncomfortable. "I see you've picked up another one."

"Uh, yeah," Shepard said, stepping aside and holding his hand out to Platform Two. "This is, uh..."

With perfect balance and posture, Platform Two stepped forward, tilted its head back slightly, arched its back, and clasped its fingers in front of it. "Kal'Reegar vas Neema," Instead of a harsh synthesizer, its gentle voice was that of a young quarian woman speaking perfect, non-translated kelish. "I am Chil'Darre vas Normandy, a terminal of the geth."

Shepard's jaw dropped, but his surprise was nothing compared to Tali's as she listened to the sentient machine give itself a name name with perfect enunciation in the birth tongue of her people. It wasn't that any decent voice synthesizer couldn't do the same, but to hear it from the mobile platform after all this time...

It extended its arms wide to Kal'Reegar in a gesture any quarian would see and make thousands of time in life. The familiar motion made Tali's skin crawl beneath her suit. The geth's central camera even flickered in time like the end of a quarian's mask as it spoke in its perfect voice. "Keelah'Selai."

* * *

_**A/N: Woohoo! I believe this puts me over 100K words... Which I'm thinking gets us about 2/3 of the way through this thing. Though I doubt I'll finish before ME3 comes out... I'm still trying to update when I can, though there never seems to be enough time.  
**_

_**On a separate note, does anybody know from canon what Reegar's ship is? Neema seems to be the google fave, which would give some potential backstory to how he and Tali know each other. **_

_**As usual, thanks for reading!  
**_


	31. What Goes Around

Kal'Reegar did not return the geth's arms-open gesture, but instead stared blankly at the mobile platform after giving Tali a wary glance. "You teach it that, ma'am?"

"No," Tali said and shuddered in her suit. Not only had the geth taken a quarian name, it referred to itself in the singular. She couldn't tell which she found more unsettling. She had gotten so used to Legion's mechanically precise mannerisms and synthesized voice that when Mobile Platform Two arrived speaking and acting the same way, she assumed it was the only way they would communicate. This, however, was _unnatural._

Though Shepard was more intrigued than uneasy like the quarians next to him, he could definitely detect the shift in mood. "It mentioned that it had been programmed for diplomatic relations, but this is the first we've seen it in this... mode."

"Huh," Reegar kept staring at the machine, frozen with its arms outstretched. He took a deep breath. "Keelah'selai," he said, and the geth lowered its arms.

"Reegar!" barked a voice from the open gate leading to the docking tunnel.

"Out here, sir," Reegar called back.

A pair of quarians emerged from the gate. The leader had a relatively plain beige suit and a dark brown faceplate surrounded by a striped green head scarf. Behind him followed a taller, thinner man in a dark maroon suit with shiny gold trim. Shepard's gaze dropped instinctively to the sidearms holstered on their belts. Elanus pistols, he could tell, but not the specific models without seeing their barrels. _Precautionary weapons,_ he thought. _Not enough to start trouble, but enough to provide cover in the event something went wrong. _Given that these were probably the first geth they'd seen up close, he couldn't blame them.

"Why haven't you brought Tali'Zorah and the geth aboard-?" The beige quarian stopped when he saw the small party standing outside the companionway, including not one but two geth, and a human.

Platform Two moved past Reegar and again extended its arms as it faced the new arrivals. "Captain Alix'Carn vas Giraf, Consul Amista'Rilos vas Rayya. I am Chil'Darre vas Normandy, a terminal of the geth. Keelah'selai."

Both of the quarians stared at it with wide eyes. Alix'Carn squinted behind his mask. "How do you know who we are?"

Platform Two clasped its fingers in front of it, hands pointed downward in a gesture of trust and supplication as Shepard had seen Tali do uncounted times. "I cross-referenced your biometrics, voice print, and enviro-suit accoutrements against a database of known quarian individuals."

The pair of quarian officers bristled. Kal'Reegar's eyes narrowed, and even Tali tensed at the geth's declaration. Shepard also winced. None of the Citadel species took it well when they found the geth had been quietly observing them for several years. He couldn't imagine the quarians would like it any better.

Platform Two must have sensed the increased stress its response had caused. Its voice was calm, almost soothing. "I assure you no quarian networks were penetrated to obtain this data. This information is freely available in various publicly accessible social networking and consumer marketing sites."

Shepard couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for the geth. They were programs designed to share information, and were doing just what geth always did. That they had practically instant, on demand recall of the entire extranet was both impressive and imposing, but they hadn't used it maliciously up to this point. The fact they admitted it so frankly was proof of that. But it was an ability that had no organic comparison, and to a species that had been nearly exterminated and regarded the geth as the enemy, it had to be even more frightening. Even Tali, who had been so excited about the prospect of negotiations continuing now stood silently with her arms crossed with her eyes cast down at the grungy deck below. Was she having second thoughts?

Captain Carn certainly was. "I am not letting those things on board my ship. And certainly not delivering them to the Migrant Fleet!"

"Hold on, now," Shepard held his hands up.

Kal'Reegar nodded. "I agree, sir, this is a mistake."

"Quiet," Rilos snapped. "Both of you. Captain, need I remind you that you are under orders from both the Conclave and the Admiralty Board itself? You will deliver Tali'Zorah and the geth as directed."

Reegar glared at Rilos while Carn shook his head resignedly. "No, you do not. But I want to go on record as saying that I think this course of action will endanger the Flotilla."

"So noted."

Captain Carn pointed to Legion. "Tali'Zorah. Bring that one aboard. Leave the other one behind."

Before Tali could speak, Shepard moved forward. "Uh, that one's name is Legion. And," he forgot what Platform two called itself, "Blue's coming too. We all are."

Carn looked at Tali, anger evident in his voice. "Who is this?"

Tali cleared her throat. "This is-"

"I'm Commander Shepard of the _Normandy._"

The captain's expression softened as he turned to face the human. "Commander. My apologies. I didn't recognize you. It's an honor to meet you."

Shepard nodded, relieved at the quarian's lightened tone. "Formal introductions got a little off track there. Pleased to meet you, too, Captain. And Consul Rilos, was it?"

Rilos' voice, deep and authoritative, lacked both friendliness or contrition. "Yes, Commander. You don't remember me, do you? On the _Rayya,_ after Tali'Zorah's trial? You threatened to rip my mask off when I attempted to escort you from the chamber during your tirade in front of the Board."

"Oh yeah," Shepard said and crossed his arms, now much less cordial. "Nothing personal, I just hate getting slime on my armor. It never comes off."

"Ah, I see you still prefer antagonism to diplomacy."

"There was nothing diplomatic about that trial."

"All your outburst accomplished was to promote confusion and disunity in our fleet. It was completely improper!"

"Oh no," Shepard smiled. "It was completely proper, given that the Admirals were trying to railroad my chief engineer. Not to mention secretly advance their personal agendas while excluding the Conclave and quarian population as a whole."

"Damn straight," Reegar muttered. Captain Carn nodded in agreement. Not a single member of the Conclave came out in support of the Board's attempt to shut them out, excepting those on the staffs of the Admirals themselves... of which Rilos was one.

Shepard touched his chin with a forefinger. "And, correct me if I'm wrong, but all the board's dirty dealings were posted on an extranet forum and are now part of the public record. Proving everything I said about them during my closing statement one-hundred percent correct." He took a step towards Rilos. "Which means you can dispense with the righteous indignation and hurt feelings because we're coming along, end of story."

Rilos' eyes squinted shut. "Commander Shepard, this is a private matter between the quarians and the geth. Your presence is neither needed, nor wanted. Tali'Zorah, you and your platform will board the _Giraf_ immediately. Reegar, if anyone, or any _thing_ attempts to board, you are to use all necessary force to stop them. Is that understood?"

Reegar stiffened. "Sir, my mission is to personally escort Miss Zorah back to the fleet. My orders come from Admiral Gerrel himself. Beyond that, your authority over me is limited, sir."

Shepard gave the marine a nod before turning back to the quarian consul. "And your authority over me is non-existent."

"Commander," Tali said, stepping between them. "If I may. Captain Rilos, Commander Shepard is here at my request, and at the request of the geth. If they are not permitted to board, we are returning to the _Normandy._"

Rilos looked back at Carn, then to Shepard. The human looked equally surprised at Tali's interjection.

"You will return to the fleet empty handed," Tali summarized. "And will have to inform both the Board and Conclave of your failure."

Rilos waved a hand at her. "You think because you are the daughter of an Admiral that gives you some sort of authority over these proceedings? Your exile has not yet even been overturned, and you presume to to dictate terms of these negotiations? Go back to that... _zoo_ you call a ship and let the adults handle this."

Shepard looked down and massaged the knuckles on his right hand. In his mind, the Consul was about to get the beating he deserved at Tali's trial. But Tali stayed in front of him, her voice still measured and serene.

"No, Amista," Tali said his first name as if he were a treasured friend. "It's your presumptions that are invalid. The geth are our guests on the _Normandy,_ and we have promised to provide the safe passage to the negotiations. A key part of that security is the presence of Commander Shepard as an escort. Chil'Darre, is that an accurate assessment of your wishes as the geth delegate?"

Mobile Platform Two nodded reverently. "I could have not voiced it more eloquently, Tali, thank you. Captain Rilos, despite his aggressive tendencies, the geth view Commander Shepard as a stabilizing element in a situation extremely susceptible to miscommunication that could lead to unwanted hostility. In the same spirit that Alliance mediation was vital to open negotiations with the Migrant Fleet, I ask that the Commander and his attaches may accompany my delegation to guarantee neither side is taken advantage of by the other."

Rilos stared at the blue geth, mouth agape behind his mask.

"In short," Platform Two concluded, "If Commander Shepard and Legion are not allowed aboard, we must politely decline at this time."

Rilos' gaze turned to the battered, war-torn geth standing to the opposite of Shepard. The synthetic being must have noticed, because it responded but in a harsh, synthesized tone. "We concur with this assessment."

For a long moment, quarian, geth and the sole human all looked at one another. The only sound was the low hum of the station's over-worked, under-maintained air circulation system.

"I have to clear this with Fleet security," Rilos said and turned on his heel. "Carn!" he barked, and the captain of the _Giraf_ followed with a sigh.

"Rilos!" Shepard shouted at the pair of quarians as they entered the docking tunnel. "Let them know we're rendezvousing with the _SSV Shenyang._ Because it's from there that my 'zoo' is going to expect to hear me call... and I guarantee you don't want them coming to look for us."

The pair disappeared into the docking collar, but not before Rilos gave Sheprard a final, disgusted parting look. Shepard thought briefly about the outcome had he gone through with his initial plan. Knowing from Tali how hard those enviro-suits were, he debated if taking a swing at Rilos would have been worth a broken hand.

"Well I feel better about this now," Tali didn't try to hide her sarcasm.

"Yeah, me too," Shepard said. "They were totally planning to cooperate." He turned to the blue geth. "What do you think?"

Platform Two's head flaps expanded slightly. "If they agree to our terms upon their return, I am willing to proceed."

"You sure?"

"Yes, but with one caveat."

Shepard looked at Tali, who still looked slightly spooked at Platform Two's perfect diction. "What's that?"

Platform Two rubbed its chin with perfect mimicry. "Even if they agree to take us to the Alliance ship, there is no guarantee they are telling the truth. In that eventuality, Mobile Platform One will be unable to compromise the geth collective, and this platform will self destruct. However, my concern is that you and Tali may suffer dire consequences."

Shepard looked again to Tali, who nodded her assent. He had a hard time breaking her gaze as he spoke, but he finally did. "Don't worry about us. They're the ones that need to worry about dire consequences if they double-cross us. Right now, it's your call."

"We must move forward," said the blue geth.

"All right then," Shepard said as he glanced back to the waiting docking portal. "If they accept, we go." He looked at his watch as he touched the transponder in his ear. "And the sooner the better. _Normandy, _do you copy?"

_"Loud and clear, Commander," _Miranda replied.

"How are we looking?"

_"Ten minutes past our scheduled departure. But so far, no Alliance or Citadel contacts in system."_

"Good."

_"There is another problem, though, Commander."_

Shepard steeled himself. "What is it?"

_"The Moorage Office has notified us we have exceeded our contract and are subject to their hourly rate. It is quite exorbitant."_

"Put it on my tab," Shepard said with a shake of his head.

_"Aye, sir."_

"Shepard out."

Having watched the entire exchange in almost complete silence, Reegar moved to stand in front of Tali. "Pretty impressive, ma'am, if I may say so."

Tali rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate his admiration, but she had dealt with Rilos' kind too many times not to know how to put him in his place. "Rilos is an idiot. He was always trying to suck up to the Admirals, especially my father. He keeps hoping for appointment, but they think he's just an opportunist. And they're right."

"You always did have a good grasp of what was going on with the brass."

"Thanks, Kal," Tali smiled and shifted sideways so she could see the entire group. Then he saw Shepard looking at her, with that funny little grin on his face. Ordinarily, her first instinct would have been to look away, because any time he made eye contact with her, she pretended something else caught her attention. But this time, she looked back, and his grin was followed with an approving nod that made her skin flush.

Shepard turned to the marine. "Your new Captain, Carn, was it? Seems like a decent man."

"No sir," Reegar said. "Carn's not my CO. Like I said, I was specifically attached to this ship by Admiral Gerrel to make sure nothing happened to Tali. After this, I go where they tell me."

Tali slapped the marine gently on his shoulder pad with the back of her hand. "Please, I can take care of myself."

"Yes ma'am," Reegar said. He looked at the floor. "But you know just as well as I do the Admirals have their heads up their asses. Uh, ma'am."

Shepard nodded toward the pair of geth. "Look, if you're here because of them, I promise she's as safe with them as she is with you or me."

Reegar's tone was polite, as always, but then the marine had the same composure when calling out an enemy position for destruction. "Of course, Commander."

Tali looked at the empty docking passage. "Maybe it wasn't the geth that the Admiral was worried about."

Shepard crossed his arms and eyed the two geth, who scanned him expectantly in return. Rilos' reaction to his presence was enough to make him want to call the deal off, but the geth wanted to proceed. "You think we can trust Gerrel?" he asked the quarians.

"Yes," Tali said. After everything Han'Gerrel said to her on that one call, all she wanted to do was see him face to face and thank him in person. It wasn't her own reputation that was at stake, though, it was her father's. Overturning her own conviction was the first step to clearing his name. "I do."

"Yes, sir," Reegar said after Tali finished. "He's a good man. Hell of a soldier. Always does what's right by the fleet. Always has. If he says it means negotiating with the enemy, then it's the right thing to do."

"Okay then," Shepard said, and took a few steps up the corridor to look into the empty docking arm. He checked his watch once more. They were now almost fifteen minutes behind schedule. The longer they tarried, the greater the chance Citadel intelligence would be able to track down the _Normandy_ and its departing operatives. He kicked aside a plastic water bottle and snapped his fingers rapidly into the base of his fist as he began to pace. _Come on,_ he willed his quarian hosts, _let's get this show on the road._

* * *

In the middle of an abandoned promenade, Jack shoved the last bite of a super-fun sized Galaxy bar into her mouth and washed it down with a gulp of lemon-lime soda. She'd made sure to leave _Normandy_ with a full belly, but as active as her metabolism was she could hardly go an hour before the hunger pangs kicked in. While the sugary snack and drink weren't the most nutritious, they still had valuable calories and tasted a damn sight better than the ass-on-tray Garner served in the mess.

She threw the empty bottle aside and emitted a loud belch that echoed up and down the deserted corridor. If any of the shops were still doing business, they weren't open now. Graffiti-covered shutters and doors lined the hall, and only the overheads illuminated her way. On any other station this size, she'd be elbowing her way to cut through the crowds, but not here.

_Someplace has got to be open,_ she thought. Dashta was a haven for low-lives. Even if the honest stores couldn't keep their doors open, there was always somewhere in a place like this to have a good time... if you knew where to look. As much as she enjoyed a good soda, she definitely needed something a little stronger to whet her desires and christen her rebirth into the world of the free.

She passed a darkened service corridor next to a planked-over club called _Temptations_ and heard muted conversation punctuated by stifled laughter. She paused a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dark and she stepped in, feeling the comforting prod of the handgun tucked in her waistband... It wasn't near as satisfying, though, as the flash of blue that sparkled about her, providing just enough light that she could see the group of addicts at the other end... and they could see her.

There were five of them, two human, two batarian, and an asari. One thing Jack knew was that if humans and batarians partying together, it was going to be a good time. The asari was just a bonus. All were clad in armor in various states of readiness, from the asari who had successfully donned every piece of protection save for her helmet, to one of the batarians who was passed out on his back on top of a pair of trash cans wearing one shoulder pad and his boots. All of them turned toward the glowing biotic with bleary eyes.

"Wow, she's sparkly," the human male said in an airy voice. He was a younger kid in his early twenties, wearing half his armor, the irises of his eyes wedged wide by whatever chemicals were coursing through his system.

A girl wrapped and arm around him. She was about the same age and wore only faded camo pants, a black concert-T and jacket. She eyed Jack from head to toe, a look of disgust on her face. Jack always liked the effect her wardrobe had on the jealous types.

The girl scoffed, "A bit chilly for that, isn't it?"

"The ink keeps me warm," Jack said with a shrug. The younger girl pushed up a sleeve, revealing plain, unblemished skin. She shoved the fabric back down and pulled her boyfriend tighter.

"You here for the party?" the conscious batarian said from behind four drooping eyelids.

"I'm always looking to party," Jack said, and she meant it. Or she thought she did. In her time before got hauled off to Purgatory, she'd gone on every galactic trip available. Hallex, red sand, creeper, g-shok... As long as it got her high or it mixed well with vodka she was game. Though since her time on the _Normandy, _she hadn't touched any of it... She'd needed to keep her wits about her on a Cerberus boat. They weren't going to take her because she was in some hallucinogenic haze. But out here in the sticks, what would be the harm?

The asari nodded at her. "So, what, you use like an L2? L3?"

"What the fuck does that matter to you?" Jack said. "I'm more interested in what _you're_ using right now... and if you got any more?"

The asari's eyes flickered in the dark. "Maybe. What will you give me for it?"

The human boy squinted through his own blurred eyes in the dim light. He knew running into a human biotic was rare enough even with his drug-addled brain, but the bald head and pale skin covered in tattoos finally registered. He tried to stand up, fumbling for the rifle mounted to his back, but it was on the ground in front of him. "Holy fuck, it's Subject Zero!"

By the time the semi-concious batarian uttered a confused "huh?" and the asari managed to struggle to her feet, Jack lunged forward and grabbed the man's neck, sending a pulse of energy through the palm of her hand that overloaded every synapse in his head like lightning through a cheap circuit. Before his body struck the ground, Jack spun on the asari and batarian, her hands flung outward. They spiraled into the air surrounded cascades of blue and white energy, just high enough for Jack to grab their dangling limbs and smash them to the floor. The short fall, however, was nothing compared to the same bio-electric shock endured by their human friend when Jack took hold, and their bodies hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Jack whirled on the girl now, silencing her scream with a jab of her head against the corridor wall. She closed her left hand around the girl's throat, and reared a glowing blue fist over her shoulder. The harsh glare produced two sharp points of light in the center of each of the girl's terrified eyes.

"How the fuck you know who I am?" Jack hissed. Behind her, the surviving batarian, still stoned, snorted and shifted on his side.

"Please, I'm not with them," the girl gasped.

"And who are they?"

"I don't know! I swear! I never seen them before! They came to the station a few hours ago. Them and their friends..."

Jack tightened her grip. "They're looking for me?"

"They're looking for a bunch of people! The ones that got off that ship that just pulled in a little while ago-"

Jack's entire body flared with energy. "Where are they now?"

Tears streamed down the girl's face and sparkled from the bright biotic glow. She started talking rapidly, which was exactly what Jack wanted. "They're all over the station, hiding. Dozens, maybe a hundred of them. A bunch of them are in _Temptations_ right now. Look I just live here, I swear. They said we all just needed to stay out of the way and it'd be okay..."

Jack's grasp tightened around the girl's neck. She didn't even need to use biotics to kill her, she knew. Strangulation would kill her quickly enough, or with enough torque on the right axis, vertebrae would begin to snap. But she let the young girl slip into unconsciousness and Jack dropped her to the floor.

"Dammit," she cursed herself. _There was a time when you would have painted the wall with the bitch's insides,_ she thought. _Now look at you._ She knelt down and quickly removed the girl's shirt and slipped it over her head, covering her tattooed torso. In a matter of seconds, the jacket took care of the distinctive markings on her arm. She ran a hand over her stubbly head.

Moving over to the dead human, she pulled the man's dirty gray t-shirt over his arms and head and tied it on as a makeshift do-rag. It wasn't the best disguise, but it would keep her from getting made as that bald chick with all the tattoos long enough for her to get the hell off of Dashta. She paused long enough to make sure the girl was still unconscious along with the batarian on the bins before she skulked back to the main corridor. She passed the club's service entrance on the way and without a sideways glance walked casually past.

Back on the _Normandy_, when she found they were going to Dashta, she made a point of memorizing the layout of the station, timetables for the local shuttles, locations of all the active terminals. Even though she skipped out on Shepard's farewell bullshit and rebuffed his pathetic attempt to find out where she was planning to go, Kelly had been kind enough to send her the station info. Jack had a good shot of catching the next shuttle to the salarian port on Erinle if she hauled ass.

Thinking of Kelly made her slow her pace. _Fuck_ her, she thought._ Fuck all of 'em. They get what they deserve for flying the flag. _She stopped at the end of the access way and peeked around the corner. The main corridor was quiet and deserted, just like she left it.

_But what about Grunt? He's pretty cool. Hell, he even _likes_ you. And Garrus? Got that stick up his ass, but he's saved you how many times with that sniper rifle of his? And Mordin, helping out with your implants all the time along with the Doc, coming down to talk to you when no one else does other than you know who... _Jack closed her eyes, then opened them to look behind her. The side door to _Temptations_ was just five meters behind her. The empty corridor, though, was right there. All she had to do was walk.

But she couldn't. She'd spent the better part of a year fighting beside those people. She'd been fighting her whole life. _But never _for _anything,_ she thought._ There was never anything in worth fighting for. Not like now._

Slowly, reluctantly, she turned back for the door. Surprisingly, when she tried the access panel, it slid open to the dimly illuminated kitchen area of the club. A batarian wearing light blue riot gear stood up from his chair when she entered, cradling a Mattock rifle. He squinted at her shirt and jacket. "What do you want?"

"Got a smoke?" Jack asked. _Blue Suns,_ she realized. The batarian obviously recognized her outfit as belonging to the girl she'd mugged, but had a hard time telling one human from another. He fished in his combat webbing, produced a pack and tossed it to her. She nodded her thanks, and made a show of patting down her pants pockets. The batarian held up a lighter, and lit it when she stepped forward.

"What's going on out there?" the Batarian asked.

Jack waved a hand dismissively after taking a drag on her cigarette. The alien weed burned her lungs. "They're all hyped up. Buncha lightweights."

"Goddamn it," the guard said. "I told Concho to keep 'em straight out there."

"Yeah," Jack jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "He's face down in a garbage bin."

"That stupid son of a..."

Jack leaned against the railing. She knew she wouldn't be able to flirt with four-eyes, but she recognized boredom when she saw it. "So what are you guys doing here, anyway? Concho and his little buddy zoned out before I could get a straight answer."

"You ever heard of the _Normandy?" _The Batarian leaned back in his chair when the human shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's been a big thorn in our ass for months now. Wrecked dozens of shipments, torpedoed a hundred deals. Killed who knows how many guys across Eclipse, the Suns, the Pack, everybody... We got a tip that they'd be pulling into Dashta today. So guess who's sitting all nice and pretty down at the end of your docking bay?"

Jack looked thoughtfully at the ceiling, then jabbed her cigarette at the guard with a grin. "The _Normandy."_

"That's right. And we're all here to give them a big hello."

Jack passed her smoke back to the Batarian, who lifted up his faceplate to smoke it. She wondered how many _all_ _of them_ meant. "So what are you waiting for?"

"Don't know. When it's time to move in, they'll tell us."

"So, you guys, like, bounty hunters or something?"

"Today we are."

"Dead or alive, something like that?"

The batarian laughed, all four of his eyes squinting tightly. "Oh sweetheart, there's no mercy today. Not with these people. Payday only happens for confirmed kills. There's a lot of big money to be paid out, and a lot of people who wanna get paid."

"Wow," Jack said, trying to suppress the rage building inside of her. "So, how many-"

Just then, the serving door to the club swung open and a figure wearing infantry-grade battle armor stuck its head through. "Yo!" the armored woman called out and held out her hands in front of her. "We move in ten. Let's saddle up!"

The batarian handed the cigarette back to Jack, who put it back in her mouth in spite of the alien's saliva coating its tip. He took a step toward the door.

Jack stood as well. "You want me to go get 'em?"

"Yeah," the guard said gruffly. "Go wake their asses up. Dumb fucks'll sleep right through it. We need their guns."

"Right," Jack said and opened the door.

"Hey!" the batarian shouted, making Jack freeze in the door. She looked back at him.

The guard now stood in the open serving door, through which Jack saw a dance floor filled to capacity with soldiers checking their weapons and armor. "Be sure to get your ass back in here afterwards," he told her. "Cuz I'm telling you, it's gonna be hell on the docks real soon!"

Jack waved and let the door slide shut behind her. In the access way outside, she turned toward the main hall and strode quickly away. Her mind raced. _Where was the rest of the squad? How long until they found the bodies in the alley? How the fuck did they find out the _Normandy _would be here? _And most importantly, _ho__w can you warn the ship? _She hadn't bothered to take a communicator with her when she left, because she wasn't coming back.

By the time she finished that thought, she was running as fast as she could.


	32. Omega's Revenge

At the captain's station in _Normandy's_ CIC, the only thing that moved faster than Miranda's hands on the holo displays were her eyes as they poured over the screens. Even though the Cerberus network had taken a hit with their recent public exposures, she still had many eyes and ears who did not know to whom they were reporting. Most of her contacts were still alive and well.

Right now, the information she needed most was about what was happening in the system from which they had just escaped. The only notification the turians received that the _Normandy _was departing was a broadcast from Shepard right as they ran for the relay: _"We've got to go check on something. We'll be right back."_

The turian commodore was furious, once again trumpeting the call for Shepard's immediate arrest. The human fleet commander, Rehme, remained calm, insisting that the two fleets continue their mission to secure the collector base. But Shepard at least let Rehme know about _Normandy's _plans to depart, if not her actual destination. The Commodore wasn't happy about it, but did not want to invite another call from Admiral Hackett so he agreed to keep the window open for _Normandy's _return.

With the both fleets' sensors monitoring _Normandy's _outbound trajectory, there was no way to mask their destination so they jumped to Tasale. No one would be watching them there, especially since the right people at traffic control had already been compensated to ignore discrepancies in their logs and drag their feet if any inquiries were made. Then, thanks to a successful transponder spoof, the _Normandy_'s last recorded jump from Tasale lead to the Ismar Frontier. In actuality, she doubled back to Osun under the squawk of a commercial tug, a scenario played out by Cerberus ships hundreds of times to avoid prying eyes.

Judging from the flurry of reports now coming in, word was just now getting back from patrols at Ismar indicating no trace of the Cerberus ship. Shepard's plan had worked. Even if the turians redirected to Osun directly, by the time they arrived the _Normandy _would already be on its way back to Sahrabarik to assist with the collector base. No one would be the wiser that half of her crew was no longer on board.

_Miranda__ pushed through the laughing, smiling throng along the port side hull, past crew and squad alike as they said their goodbyes to one another. Having been tasked with making travel arrangements, Miranda didn't have time for sentimental displays. She found the Commander talking to the ship's primary shuttle pilot, Rolston, near the stairs to the cockpit. She didn't hear what they had been discussing, but whatever it was finished amicably and they concluded with a handshake.  
_

_Rolston took a step past Shepard only to stop face to face with Miranda. __The pilot was bright red, sweating just a little bit and somewhat flustered, but wore a genuine smile_ "Oh, pardon me, ma'am."

_Miranda clasped her datapad in front of her. "Rolston."_

_The pilot wiped the sweat from his upper lip and looked uncertainly around then shook his head. "Oh, what the hell," he stepped forward to give the senior operative a warm hug. Shepard watched from behind with an amused expression, unlike the other crew who watched with astonishment as one of their own dared to cross into Miranda's carefully controlled personal space._

_The strain in Rolston's voice almost kept him from being able to speak, but he managed to whisper in her ear. "I'm going home to see my girls. They never would have gotten out of New Canton if it weren't for you."_

_Miranda released one hand from her datapad and patted Rolston lightly on the back as her eyes darted around the ring of faces staring at them. "It was my pleasure. Give them my best when you get home."_

_"I will," Rolston said, maintaining his grip. "I can't thank you enough for giving me something to go home to."_

_She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed away gently. "You always went above and beyond for the ship. It was the least we could do. Now go get packed. I have to talk the Commander."_

_"Aye, ma'am. Thank you."_

_"Goodbye, Mr. Rolston."_

_Miranda turned from the pilot to Shepard, who leaned against the center rail with a knowing smirk. _

_"Commander," she said, her eyes closed. "Please don't."_

_"I swear, you were almost on the verge of tears there."_

_Knowing that reacting would only feed the fire, Miranda stared at the center of Shepard's forehead and visualized herself back in her office, getting actual work done.  
_

_"I mean, that was an actual moment." Shepard looked at her with doe eyes. "Maybe not a big one, but you gotta walk before you can run, right? You big softie!" When rewarded with a blank stare, he licked his lips and he slipped back into Commander mode. "Okay, what have you got for me?"_

_Miranda lifted her pad once more. After almost a year together, she'd finally gotten the silly bastard trained. "Departure plan. We have seven crew plus seven contractors scheduled for departure at Dashta. That just leaves one unaccounted for."_

_"Who?"_

_Miranda cocked her head. "Who do you think?"_

_Shepard sighed. "Right."_

_"Did you talk to her?"_

_Shepard's smile faded. "I did. Guess what she said. Go ahead."_

_"Fuck off?"_

_"Yep," Though Shepard's tone was jovial, Miranda could tell he felt anything but. "But don't worry. I'm pretty sure it was directed at me."_

_"Don't be too sure. Is she going to file an itinerary?"_

_"Well, I asked her about that...'"_

_"And?"_

_"Take a wild guess."_

_"I'm going to have to go with 'fuck off' again."_

_"You're one smart woman, Miranda. You know that?"  
_

_"Typical. Did she at least specify a destination?"_

_"She sure did."_

_Miranda prepared to write on her pad.  
_

_Shepard looked over Miranda's shoulder and dictated. "'None of my fucking business. Asshole.' You got a column for that? She suggested a destination for me as well, but I don't think I can get there by relay."_

_"I'm sorry, Shepard," Miranda said, and meant it. Not that he hadn't been able to convince the ex-con from staying aboard, but that he tried so hard to accommodate her and make her feel genuinely welcome on the ship, and all he ever got for his efforts was a steady stream of epithets. Of course, she had her own personal opinion on the matter, but she could tell now wasn't the time to bring them up. She stared at Jack's bald portrait on the datapad's screen. It seemed to sneer back at her. "I'll list her as 'departing' then."_

_"Good idea," Shepard said and turned to walk up the long corridor to the cockpit. "You do that. Send a copy to my station, please."_

_"Aye, sir." Miranda watched him go. She knew his attachment to Subject Zero ran deep, but in spite of all of his efforts to reign in the girl's temper, she was as foul-mouthed and disrespectful as when she first joined the crew. But it was wise for Shepard to make the inquiry. If Miranda had been the one to ask, she was sure she would have gotten more than a few obscene remarks. Since their interrupted duel in her office, she and Jack kept a deck apart between missions, just like Shepard ordered. She thought back to Jack's promise to finish their argument after the mission was complete. It was rash and unprofessional, and she knew now it was said in the heat of the moment. But Jack's response that the Cerberus 'cheerleader' was only being kept alive so Jack could kill her herself after the mission... Somehow she knew that threat had no statute of limitations.  
_

_ She looked back down at her datapad, into Jack's hateful, fiery glare. No doubt Miranda's experience and battle-tested temper would have allowed her to triumph over Jack's considerable biotic talent, but perhaps it was best that their relationship ended with a tap on the 'save' button instead. _

_On the datapad's screen, Jack's face winked out of existence._

"Colonial Movers," Kelly said into her earpiece in a chipper, upbeat tempo. "We move anywhere. How may I direct your call?"

_Colonial Movers_... the code words snapped Miranda out of her reverie. It had been months since that ruse had been utilized. It was a false front, a forwarded line to the _Normandy _that could be called from any phone or terminal in known space. Shepard had requested it from Cerberus as an emergency measure in case any of the squad got separated during a mission so they could arrange a covert pickup. It had only been needed a handful of times and proved useful in each instance. But it always meant trouble. She moved next to Chambers at her console.

Kelly looked confused. "Jack... Where are you? Uh, Shepard's not here. What's going on?"

Miranda's gut tightened. The last person she wanted to hear from again, ever, was calling on the ship's distress line. _Of course,_ she thought,_ she left all her Cerberus-issued equipment on the ship for fear we would track her. She's probably just now figured out it's going to cost something to get off the station. _Miranda was already calculating the amount of money Jack was going to request, followed by the number of times the word 'fuck' was going to come up in the conversation... _Or is she calling to arrange a meeting, so they could finish what she'd started in your office?_

Kelly turned to her, eyes wide with fear. "She says an attack is imminent."

Suddenly, the second option seemed more likely to Miranda, but if it were, it was a strange way to catch her off guard. She touched a key on the console and fed the conversation to her earpiece. "Jack, this is Lawson. What's going on?"

Instead of caustic bitterness, cutting remarks or insults, there was only sheer, unadulterated panic in Jack's voice. "Get everybody back to the ship right now! It's an ambush! They know we're here! Get everybody back now!"

"Who? Who knows we're here?"

"Blood Pack, Eclipse! Blue Suns! They're all here! It's a fucking trap! They're coming for all of us! They're coming for you in the _Normandy! _You've got to get them back! _Now!"_

Miranda closed her eyes. Any other member of the squad she could take at face value, but Jack? When she opened her eyes again, Kelly was staring at her, mouth agape, awaiting instruction. In that instant, Miranda saw them all back on the collector base, Kelly and the rest of the crew trapped in the stasis pods. The screams of the luckless colonists dissolving into grey goo echoed around the chamber. Before Miranda could even react, Jack leaped up to Kelly's pod, bashing and prying it's canopy with electric-blue fists and pulling the Yeoman out just before she suffered the same horrible fate. Then, dropping Kelly to the ground, Jack moved to the next pod and assailed it with equal fury, saving crewman Hawthorne from certain death.

"Issue an emergency recall," Miranda said. "Immediately."

"Aye, ma'am!" Kelly said as her fingers stabbed at her console.

"EDI! Sound general quarters," Miranda held her hand up to her earpiece. "Jack? Jack! Where are you? Jack, do you read?"

Miranda heard only silence. She leaned over to inspect the communication panel to see why as alarms began wailing throughout the ship and the deck below her feet dropped sharply. She instinctively grabbed the communications console to steady herself as a low rumble shook through her entire body, and the ship itself.

"High-energy detonation amidships," EDI announced. "Topside."

"Joker!" Miranda keyed the cockpit's channel. "Blow dock! Get us moving!"

EDI's artificial voice, always artificially calm, continued over the din. "Hull breach, deck one, Commander's quarters."

"Docking clamps not responding!" Joker called back. "We're locked in!"

"Tear a hole in the station if you have to! Get us out of here!" Miranda looked toward the ceiling as if she could see where the ship had been penetrated. All around, previously idle crew scrambled to their action stations. With almost half of the ship's compliment on board the station, Miranda knew that her next order just might be futile. "All hands, prepare to repel boarders!"

* * *

Rolston leaned over the counter of the dingy cantina and knocked his empty cup against its faded orange surface. "Excuse me! Can I get a refill? Hello?"

He returned to the two square tables in the room with his shipmates, the only two occupied out of ten in the small dining area. Much like the kitchen, the rest of the restaurant was deserted. He sat back down in between Matthews and Goldstein, who were busy scanning their data pads, much like the other crew as they sat and waited with their bags in the small restaurant. He fished in his bag for his own pad. Nothing helped a layover like electronic entertainment.

"No luck?" Goldstein asked, sipping loudly out of her own empty cup as she scrolled through her pad.

"Nobody's back there," Rolston said. "Maybe it's closing time or something?"

"Maybe. Or service just sucks here."

Rolston looked down at the partially-eaten sandwich on his tray. Most of the alien meat he'd encountered in his travels tasted like chicken. What had been killed, sliced and stuffed between the sliced bread in front of him he could not even begin to place. "There's no way I can finish the rest of this without something to drink."

"So... You're not going to eat that?" rumbled a low voice from overhead.

The pilot glanced up to see Grunt leaning in from the adjacent table where he sat with three other _Normandy_ crew awaiting transfer. Up close, the krogan's teeth looked very sharp.

"Uh, no," Rolston said and leaned back from the table. "All yours." He watched as the sandwich that would have required a human adult to use both hands to hold disappeared in the palm of the big krogan, gulped down in a single bite. He stared down at his empty plate.

Goldstein grinned at him. "Guess you don't need that refill after all, huh?"

"You're welcome, Grunt!" Rolston told the big krogan. The last word left his mouth when he felt his ears pop, and the air around him warped and glittered faintly as his personal kinetic barrier flared to life. He saw his own shocked expression mirrored in the others at his table as they inspected their outstretched arms as their own shields shimmered faintly around them. "What the hell?"

Then every pad, every comm unit and every active omnitool in the group lit up, each conveying an identical message, at the same time energizing their defenses. _Emergency Recall._

"Oh shit," Ines Peralta at the next table stood, her omnitool screen blinking furiously on her arm. "All right, you know the drill. Leave it behind. Let's go, let's go!"

As all his human counterparts stood up from the table leaving their bags and other personal effects behind, Grunt leaned over to one side and pounded open the latch on his weapon locker. His Claymore was clamped to his back like always, but he was damned if he was going to leave any of his other favorite weapons behind. Hunched over as he was, he was merely knocked flat on his belly as the front wall the restaurant imploded with the force of a hurricane, sending shrapnel and shipmates flying in equal measure. Amidst the smoke and falling forms of his comrades, Grunt kicked the small table above him away and sat up just as second blast sent him sailing back into the counter where only moments before Rolston tried to get a refill on his drink.

* * *

Zaeed slammed the empty shot glass on the counter top and waved the bartender over. "Gimme another," he grunted as the man stared at him from behind the bar.

"Sorry buddy," he said. "I gotta close shop."

The grizzled bounty hunter looked around. He was the only one left at the island in the middle of the corridor. "What do I owe you then?"

"Uh," the bartender stammered. "Nothin'. On the house. For saving the universe and shit, right?"

Zaeed scowled at the man's sudden shift in demeanor but was interrupted by an insistent buzz coming from his body armor. It was his comm unit, still tuned into the_ Normandy's_ tactical net. _Emergency Recall: __Docks unsafe. Attack imminent. Return to ship._

The sudden look of fear in the bar man's eyes was enough to convince him. Zaeed reached out and snagged the heavy, threadbare gray duffel bag from the chair next to him and vaulted over the bar as the air around him exploded with rifle fire and shattered glass. He landed on his back next to the bartender who held his hands over his ears and screamed as a swarm of slugs of all types ripped above them.

Whatever the counter was made of, it provided some cover as the two men huddled close to the ground. But it was not attached to the deck, and each impact made it skitter in closer a centimeter at a time. Zaeed sat upright with his legs outstretched, keeping the narrow passage open. He glanced up with his good eye, noting the impact angles and listening for the reports. _Five or six shooters, maybe eight or nine meters out. They were close. _Reaching into his duffel bag, he turned his head to look at the bartender, who now lay completely prone on the crusty, slime-ridden floor.

"Hey Massani!" a voice called from the other side, almost inaudible over the reign of fire. "Vido says hello!"

The tendons in Zaeed's neck bulged upon hearing the name and every muscle in his face contorted into a terrible scowl. "I'd keep my goddamn head down if I was you," Zaeed growled to the bartender through clenched teeth as he loaded the under-barrel launcher on his Mattock rifle with as many inferno grenades as it could hold.

* * *

Shepard stood in front of the _Giraf's_ docking collar with his hands on his hips and stared as if he could open the hatch with his mind. "What the hell are they doing in there?"

"Formulating consensus, I would think," said Platform Two. It's female khelish tones sounded soothing even through Shepard's translator.

"That's where we could learn a thing or two from you, Blue. Consensus for organics takes forever. Sometimes it comes too late."

"Do not lose hope, Commander Shepard."

Shepard turned to face the geth directly, almost unsure of what he heard. "Hope. Do you actually know what that is?"

"It is choosing to believe in a positive outcome in spite of evidence to the contrary."

Shepard's next question exhilarated and terrified him in equal parts. Was this new model actually capable of acting against evidence, or was it part of its diplomatic programming? "Can you? Hope, that is?"

The blue platform's face plates contracted slightly and there was a noticeable pause before it finally responded. "I am not capable of answering that question at this time."

"Hey Shepard!" Reegar called from further down the corridor, standing next to Tali and Legion in their own conversational circle. "Why's this geth wearing chunks of your old armor?"

Shepard stared at the blue geth's camera, wishing he could crawl inside and see what it was thinking. The excitement he felt earlier faded away. Blue and Legion still had something in common, even if they phrased it differently. "No data available," he shouted back.

"Yeah, that's what Legion said!" Reegar looked to Tali. "So what is that, some kind of inside joke?"

Tali gave Legion a pat on its bulky, ungainly shoulder plate. An insistent whistle sounded in her ear and her HUD lit up before her eyes. She smiled to Kal as she read the incoming message, happy for once to be in on the joke for a change. "Of some kind." Her smile did not last long as the alert became clear. ___Docks unsafe. Attack imminent. Return to ship._

"Shepard!" Tali shouted. Almost by magic, the shotgun in her leg holster appeared in her hands. Next to her, Legion detached its pulse rifle which caused Reegar to step back involuntarily and produce his own weapon. Tali reached out and shoved his barrel down and away.

"I saw it!" Shepard yelled back, taking several strides toward the main corridor with his hand to his ear. _"Normandy,_ this is Shepard! Do you copy? _Normandy,_ this is Shepard, do you read? Garrus! Jacob! Anybody online?"

Reegar pulled his rifle away from Tali's hand but kept it pointed away from the geth. "What's wrong?"

"Our ship's in trouble," Tali said, never taking her eyes off of Shepard as he continued to try and raise someone on the tactical net.

"I need you to board now,ma'am," Reegar said.

"What?"

"I have my orders. Get you safely back to the fleet. You need to board the _Giraf_ right now."

Legion buzzed loudly at Reegar's order and stepped between the two quarians.

"You can come too, dammit," the marine yelled. "All of you, even Shepard, if that will get you to come with me. To hell with the brass! But If there's trouble I'm getting you out of here!"

Shepard donned his helmet and the air around him shimmered like a mirage as his barrier charged to full strength. From somewhere down the corridor, the air reverberated with a deep _whump_, followed by another, then the rapid-fire pops of small arms fire. He shouted over his shoulder as he hefted his rifle and trotted towards the sound of battle. "Go! I'll catch up with you on the _Normandy!_ Get them out of here, Reegar!"

"Ma'am!" Reegar said and tugged Tali's wrist insistently.

Tali watched Shepard's retreating form, unable to speak. Thoughts of he Migrant Fleet, the peace negotiations, the rift between the Alliance and Council... even the possibility of getting her exile overturned fluttered and faded, replaced with thoughts of her friends - her _family _aboard the _Normandy._ Of Garrus and Gabby, of the Doctor and Joker, of a ship full aliens that fought for her as hard as she had for any of them... Thoughts of her captain and friend, who now charged headfirst, alone, to save the crew of the ship whose name she now bore.

She gripped her left palm and her omnitool materialized, and two button presses later, a meter-wide sphere of segmented purple light rezzed in next her. She looked back to Legion. The geth had as much to gain or lose in the negotiations as she did. But she didn't have to ask what the mobile platform intended to do - Legion's combat drone had finished charging before her own. "Let's go," she said.

"Acknowledged," Legion replied, and the pair ran at full speed, their combat drones trailing light behind them in the dim corridor.

"Tali! Wait!" Reegar reached after Tali but caught only thin air. "Damn it!" He staggered back as a third energy sphere shot past, blue in color, missed him by mere centimeters. He barely had time to recover when a second object, much more physical in nature, zoomed by.

"Thank you," the blue geth said politely as it snatched the Avenger rifle from the shocked marine's hands and sprinted at a measured gait to catch up with its companions.

"Hey!" was all Reegar could shout. "Shit! _Shit!" _He whirled around to the _Giraf's_ empty gate, then back to see the blue geth stop at the junction where Tali, Shepard and the other geth had crouched. He could see the Commander gesture with his hands, formulating a plan. One by one, they disappeared around the bend into the main corridor. Tali, shotgun in hand, was the last to go.

Reegar glanced one last time towards the _Giraf_'_s_ hatch. _How much trouble can I get into,_ he wondered? _Orders are orders._ He reached behind his back for the Carniflex pistol mounted there. He re-seated the heat sink, clicked the weapon off safe and charged down the corridor into battle, with only a pistol, five extra sinks and absolutely no idea what the hell was going on.


	33. Omega's Revenge II

Reegar caught up to Shepard's team at the right corner of the four-way intersection. Tali knelt behind the Commander and worked her omnitool while the pair of geth conducted their own scans. "Shepard! Let's get aboard the _Giraf!_ We can take to you the _Normand__y!"_

Shepard didn't look back at the marine. "I got people out here, Reegar! You go if you want! Tali? Where's my feed? Your drone stalled about twenty meters down! I got nothing!"

"No telemetry," Tali said. "There's wild distortion across most of the spectrum. High output interference from all directions. From the signature and strength, someone's exposed an Eezo core and tapped it into the station's electrical."

"What the hell does that mean?" Reegar asked.

Tali got to her feet and peered around Shepard. "The whole damn station's a jammer. We'll have about 2 meter reception range until we shut it down."

"Perfect," Shepard stood as well and backed away from the wall. He pulled a black marker from a shoulder clip. On a grime-encrusted panel he drew three quick vertical lines, then slashed across all three horizontally like a ladder with rungs that extended beyond the sides. "All right, everybody on me. We've got three main corridors. One, Two and Three! One and Three are docks, this middle strip, Two, is shops and commercial zone. We're in Three, about here," Shepard drew an 'X' on the rightmost line at the rung second from the bottom.

He drew another 'X' on the top rung on the left side. _"Normandy's _here, at the other end of One. We'll advance along Three as far as we can, then cut across -"

"Alert!" Legion buzzed looking up the corridor, "Multiple targets. FENRIS mechs, range-"

Shepard dropped the marker and brought up his rifle. Planning would have to happen on the fly. "Open fire!"

Like a pack of angry wolves, a dozen quadroped mechs galloped into the main corridor from twenty meters up on the right, skidding on loose trash that littered the floor as they flooded from the next terminal. Their red visual sensors bobbed as they ran into a hail of slugs from the _Normandy _crew, joined immediately by Platform Two and Reegar from behind. Three, then six, then ten of the mechs fell, their squat chassis exploding into shrapnel as they charged. The leader leaped two meters from Legion before the geth's phasic slugs shredded it midair.

Next to Legion, Tali's shotgun _clicked_ and spat the glowing cinder of its heatsink the air. The remaining FENRIS lunged at her. Reegar grasped at her shoulder to pull her out of the way, but missed - not because his timing was off... Tali ducked away and under the mech and butted it with the stock of her shotgun as it flew past, knocking it on its side. It hit the deck and scrambled to right itself, but Tali pinned it solidly to the ground under a raised boot. Her left arm glowed bright as her omnitool rezzed into being. A bright spark jumped to the "head" of the FENRIS and its upended legs stopped in mid-stride.

Tali spun back behind the corner beside Shepard and slapped another heat sink into the receiver. Reegar watched her, mouth agape behind his mask.

"Nice one," Shepard said with a grin, his rifle still aimed up the corridor.

Tali cursed her carelessness. "Stupid. Lost count."

Shepard scanned the corridor in front of him. "They sent in the dogs. So where the hell are the rest of them?" After several seconds passed with no activity, he pointed to the opposite wall of the corridor. "Move up. Tali, Legion on the left. Blue? Shit..." He couldn't possibly take a diplomat, even an artificial one, into combat.

"Let me lead, Commander," the blue geth said calmly and raised its recently appropriated rifle.

"What?"

"I am expendable," Platform Two said and moved past him. "You are not."

Shepard knew there was no arguing with the geth as it moved past him up corridor. "Neither one of them can take orders," he muttered.

"You got me, Legion?" Tali asked, giving Legion a slap on the back as she crossed in front of it on the other side.

"Acknowledged," Legion said and followed Tali across the five-meter wide corridor and joined her in creeping up the far wall. Using only his hands, Shepard assigned each of them sectors to watch and as a group they moved out.

Reegar could only watch in amazement as the quarian and human, in formation with armed geth, advanced towards the sound of gunfire. There was no further conversation, no requests for clarification or even signs of fear from Tali'Zorah. The woman he had been assigned to protect moved from cover to cover as if she'd been doing it for years, leading what should have been one of her sworn enemy into battle.

* * *

Garrus took an knee over his footlocker and kept an eye on the far end connecting into one of Dashta's main corridors. There was no need to look down. Calmy and neatly, he attached gear to the hardpoints on his armor as he had done hundreds of times before, in blinding sun, underwater, or in the pitch black of night. His hands knew exactly where to go. Carnifex pistol on his right hip, Vindicator on his back on the left, Mantis on his right, with a two dozen heat sinks clipped in a pair of strips over his chest plates, then finally his helmet. Soft blue light flared in his left eye as his tactical visor relayed information.

Small arms fire continued to echo in the intersection twenty meters away. Though impossible to tell direction and range because of the station's walls, the digital audio processor in his eyepiece was able to distinguish the signature of each weapon. Sixteen, then twenty-five, then over fifty distinct gunshots registered, followed by launchers and energy weapons. This was no ordinary dockside encounter... Out-and-out war had erupted on Dashta. And Garrus could contact no one. Not the _Normandy,_ not Shepard, not any of the crew. After Kelly's terse warning, all communications ceased... and the air became thick with the sounds of battle.

But the firing was inconsistent. Long, ammo draining bursts, punctuated by much shorter, controlled discharges. Panic fire versus aimed shots, but Garrus still no idea who was firing at all or why. And then, he heard a quite different sound.

_"Woooooo!"_ howled a voice from somewhere out of his line of sight, followed by the sound of armored footsteps - lots of them. "Next one down! Next one down!"

Garrus closed and sealed his footlocker and slid it against the wall next to a dilapidated cargo crate. He eyed the missing panels in the ceiling where he saw the young boy stripping away insulation, with a stack of disused cargo pods underneath. The kid, like everybody else, had long since disappeared, which should have been an indication something bad was about to happen.

_So that's how he got up there,_ Garrus thought. He strode across the hall and stepped up on the rickety improvised stairway and hoisted himself up, at the same time knocking the top crate from the stack. He didn't want to make it easy for anyone to follow.

On his knees above the ceiling, Garrus swept his visor and pistol over his surroundings. It was dark except for streaks of light shining through missing panels between dank, condensation-covered support beams. With his armor over his already wide carapace, he barely had enough room to stand while hunched over. Above was a rat's nest of ducts and wiring, seemingly added over previous layers without concern of what was being covered over. Most importantly, Infra-red and motion detection turned up negative in both directions. He was alone. Slowly and quietly he knelt on one of the beams for maximum cover while still being able to see out a small gap in the tiles, though his field of view below was severely restricted.

The loud footfalls stopped. Garrus waited and watched. Ten seconds passed, then twenty before his audio sensors picked up the shuffle of feet through the debris on the floor and soft whispers and restrained snickering from down below. A pair of humans in mismatched, piecemeal body armor carrying rifles Garrus couldn't quite make out passed below. They moved without coordination, their eyes searching all the wrong places, weapons carried with a complete lack of respect or restraint. Garrus had seen their type many times before. _Freelancers._

Soon after, another pair of the z-grade mercenaries passed under, then a trio, all laughing and giggling like troublemakers in the back of a classroom. _Except they're on point for whatever mission they were on,_ Garrus thought. _Completely unpro__fessional. I wonder what they're looking for?_

A human at the rear of the haphazard squad below stopped and shouted down the hall in front of him as if he could hear the turian's thoughts. "Archangel! Come out, come out wherever you are!"

Garrus tensed inside his armor but otherwise stayed perfectly still. The freelancers below all laughed out loud and began shouting out their own taunts and insults that made his stomach burn. "Thought we forgot about you, didn't ya?"

"Yo, Archangel! You had a body bag left over from Omega! We saved it for ya! Ain't that great? You'll match your friends!"

_"Shut the fuck up!" _yelled another voice from behind, asari from the sound of it. "And keep moving!"

The laughter stopped and the freelancers moved on. Seconds later, he saw who gave the order that killed the party. A string of Eclipse mercs crept slowly down the hall, weapons at the ready, each covering an assigned sector and moving with military precision.

"Why the hell are we following these guys instead of our YMIR's," complained a salarian. They were speaking out loud... They could not use their radios, either.

"Because this whole operation's fucked," snapped the asari. "I find whoever let that bald bitch get away, and I'm gonna have his balls for breakfast."

"Even if it was a krogan?"

"Then I'll have lunch, too."

Garrus counted eight more of the Eclipse squad go by before he climbed to his feet. At their current rate, they would reach the end of the terminal in less than a minute, and be forced to turn back. _So they know who you are and where you were supposed to be,_ he thought. _And they didn't bother to look up here? Good help is so hard to find. But what now? _Without knowing the status of the _Normandy_ or his shipmates and with no way to raise them, he saw but one option. Someone was under attack in the main corridor. Odds were it was someone who needed his help. Keeping his feet on the solid support, he stepped quickly in the opposite direction as the mercs, as silent as Archangel in the dark passages above Omega. _Just like old times, indeed._

He reached the bulkhead connecting the terminal branch to the main corridor where he heard voices below, this time a salarian and a human. Pistol still in hand, he knelt to have a look. The pair stood at either side of the eight-meter wide corridor in full Eclipse battle armor, watching cautiously around their respective corners into the main passage, listening to the fighting that raged on. He moved so the the salarian was directly below him.

"What the hell are we supposed to do if they find him," the human asked. "It's not like we can call in."

"The shielded net should be up soon."

"It was supposed to be up before this whole goddamn circus started. We don't get coordinated, we'll end up shooting each other."

Garrus nodded to himself. That_ explains the jamming. Whatever happened, they couldn't get their backup communications online in time. _The faster he could link up with the rest of the crew, the better. Using the video sight on the barrel of his pistol he scanned the immediate area. As far as he could tell from the position of the pair below him, the entrance to the terminal was empty. Most important, the rest of the Eclipse troops were a good thirty meters away. The only thing between the guards and reinforcement were dozens of empty benches facing grease-covered windows with a view of empty space in front of closed gates that might never see use again.

He clipped the pistol back to his thigh and brought up the Mantis. It was ridiculous to even think of shooting a target at such a close range with the sniper rifle, but it could kill an armored target with one shot to the head, and Garrus needed that kind of stopping power right now. He extended the barrel and buttstock into firing position, let his breath out slowly, aimed, and fired.

The human's armored head snapped back, the round glowing lenses of his helmet now separated by a perfectly clean black circle. He was dead before his body collapsed to the floor.

The salarian jumped at the rifle's report directly above and brought his rifle reflexively to his shoulder when a blue anvil crashed through the flimsy plastic ceiling tile on top of him. Garrus let the Mantis drop to the floor as he slammed the salarian bodily into the wall, his shoulder pinning the salarian's rifle against his armored chest. Garrus grabbed each of his armored horns in his hands and using his own mass as a counterweight flipped him over his shoulder with a sharp twist. The merc's scream ended with the abrupt _snap_ of his neck.

_That one's for you, Thane. _Garrus ducked against the wall as hypersonic rounds shrieked by. The troopers down the corridor heard his shot and were responding. As he predicted, though, they were a good thirty meters away, and firing on reflex without taking aim.

He reached down for his Mantis, swung around the corner into the main hallway and at the same time unslung his vindicator. Behind cover as he was, he had no shot at any of the Eclipse mercs or freelancers, but he didn't need it. Instead, he aimed at the observation windows only five meters away. Round after round smacked into six centimeters plexi designed to withstand a meteorite but not twenty of the armor-piercing type. The door-sized pane cracked, splintered, then exploded into the blackness of space creating an instant vortex of litter sucked in from all directions.

The Eclipse troopers were protected against vacuum, Garrus knew but he freelancers would have a tougher time of it. He cared about neither because the end result was the same: they were all trapped beyond the massive emergency bulkhead that slammed shut, sealing the terminal branch from the rest of the station.

Still cradling his assault rifle, Garrus leaned over, grabbed the carrying handle on the Mantis and stowed it once more on is back. The gunfire seemed equally intense from ahead and to the left, but was quiet to the right. He tilted his head back. The ceiling was much higher in the main corridor, almost two stories instead of one. With any luck, he'd find another of the passageways favored by the scavengers.

Because, like them, he was at home on high ground.

* * *

When Ines came to flat on her back, her first impulse was to smack down the alarm next to her bed. When she saw the flickering light fixture surrounded by smoke and shooting sparks all around, she knew she wasn't at home, and she certainly wasn't in bed. She wasn't even in her bunk on the _Normandy_. The ringing subsided, replaced by thunder from the blood rushing through her head as well as explosions from somewhere close by. She rolled on her side and saw the bodies of her crew mates sprawled across the restaurant's floor near the serving counter. Fumes from burning plastic filled the hazy red air, illuminated by a fire that raged beyond the blown-out front door. Next to her, Rolston had managed to roll over on his stomach and tried to climb to his knees. "You okay?" she asked him.

"Think so," Rolston said once he realized someone was talking to him and wiped a trickle of blood from his nose. "You?"

"Yeah. We're under attack," she gasped and felt around for her duffel bag and her service pistol inside. It was not within arm's reach. "Check the others."

As Rolston crawled across the floor to the next body down from him, Ines slid on her belly towards the dark shapes on the floor where the tables used to be, keeping well beneath the boiling smoke which filled the room. Her bag had to be somewhere. She pushed past several suitcases and smaller carry-ons. Then, illuminated by the flames outside, she saw several long, dark poles in a jumble in front of the door. At first, she thought it might be debris, but they were too regular and too clean. _Automatic rifles,_ she thought. _But whose? Nobody in the crew was carrying any..._

She called back to Rolston. "Where's Grunt?"

"I don't see him!"

"Shit!" Ines squinted into the flames. The fire was a good meter away from the door's threshold, and the rifles another meter inside. She shimmied on her belly toward them as slugs snapped over her head and energy weapons sizzled somewhere close by. Wherever her pistol ended up, it was nowhere near as powerful as or accessibld as the rifles. When she got closer, she noticed heatsinks were also scattered near the weapons.

She reached out and pulled the top one off of the pile of four like a pick-up-stick, then slid on her butt against the wall to the left of the shattered door frame to look outside. She could barely make out the facade of the shop across the corridor filled with smoke, fire and figures darting from door to door. She hefted the rifle to check its condition when movement over her shoulder caught her eye.

A vorcha in battered crimson armor that covered only its torso and arms stood over her aiming an SMG into the room, with another vorcha close behind. The demon-faced alien sneered at the sight of the soft-bodied, helpless humans in front of it. Before she could raise her rifle, a blood-curdling roar drowned out the battle outside. The second vorcha was jerked backwards off its feet, then reappeared just as suddenly, now horizontal as it smashed square into the spine of its companion. The impact was so strong the foul creature's neck snapped and its lifeless body skidded to a halt next to where the unconscious forms of the _Normandy_ crew lay.

The silhouette of a massive krogan, backlit by fire held the other struggling vorcha by its feet. Noticing that his living club was still alive, the krogan reared back and swung again, cracking the second vorcha's back as well against the door frame. He gave it a third swing just for the fun of it before he noticed the human taking cover at his feet.

"Ines!" Grunt shouted and grinned when he saw the rifle in her hands. He disappeared beyond the door for a split second, then returned with a mixed armload of weapons which he dumped on the existing pile: two more rifles, submachine gun, a launcher and bandoleer full of grenades. They were all covered with spatters of blood, but nothing compared to Grunt himself, who was positively covered with it, amidst scorch marks and bright gouges in his ordinarily clean gray armor.

He reached down and yanked the rifle from Ines' hands, inspected it, and tossed it aside. "This one's better!" he said, thrusting a shorter, more squat looking weapon into her hand. She had no idea its make or model, but was too stunned to argue.

Grunt popped a fresh heat sink into his Claymore. "Let's go!"

"Wait!" Ines shouted. "We've got wounded!"

The krogan looked back into the restaurant and ducked low so he could see under the smoke. Only two or three of the humans were moving, and they were moving slow. He seemed confused for a moment, and maybe a little frustrated. "Okay," he shouted. "Stay with them! I'll be right outside! Get out here when you can!"

Before Ines could offer a response of any kind, Grunt was gone, his battle cry punctuated with slow, steady blasts from a shotgun that would tear the arms off of any human foolish enough to fire it.


	34. Repel Boarders

In _Normandy's _cockpit, Joker flung the docking controls away. Whatever had hold of the _Normandy,_ it wasn't a standard docking clamp. "We're hung up! We've got to use the mains!"

EDI's voice was annoyingly calm. "Use of the primary thrusters in close proximity will result in considerable damage to the station, Jeff."

"Then blow the damn thing off! We've got to get moving!" A shadow crossed overhead. Through the window, Joker saw the rectangular belly of a shuttle hurtling straight down on top of him. He had just enough time to see a black-and-yellow striped ring stretching across its bottom side before he instinctively nosed the ship down and away from the station. The docking clamps groaned, but _Normandy _shifted enough so the shuttle's flat side smacked against the port window and deflected away as control jets stabilized it and pushed it a safe distance away. Fortunately, because of their low relative speeds, the damage to both ships was minor.

From the size and shape, Joker thought it might be the _Normandy's _Kodiak, but the dark gray color was all wrong. It was just another ship, trying to get away. He could see the pilot's panicked face through the shuttle's window. He felt bad for anybody caught in the crossfire, but now was not the time to get in his way. "Watch where you're going, asshole!"

But the salarian pilot did not return Joker's glare. Instead, his attention remained focused on the hull above the cockpit as the small ship reoriented itself, hurtling once more belly down toward _Normandy's _topside. The black-and-yellow ring was a docking collar, Joker realized, and the collision had been no accident. The sonofabitch had missed! "EDI, take him out!"

"I have no reading," EDI said. "Stealth systems active. GARDIAN unable to acquire lock..."

"Going to manual!" With a swipe of his hand, Joker brought up a boresight camera from the _Normandy's_ dorsal point defense lasers. He lined up on the shuttle, which faced the forward turret at a range less than ten meters away, and held the trigger down for continuous fire. He couldn't see the pulsed infrared beam, but its effects were immediate. The shuttle's nose flared like the head of a match as its thin armor boiled away and an explosion ripped it in two. From the fireball, debris, equipment and bodies tumbled away, some bouncing off the windows above him.

Joker's hands swooped over his displays as if he were swatting flies and he brought up external cameras on all his available displays. Another assault shuttle maneuvered towards the main hangar bay door. He switched through each of the ventral turrets, hoping to find one that could angle close enough to keep _Normandy _from acquiring another parasite.

* * *

"Come on, hustle up!" Jacob knelt over the armory's aft access shaft. Patel's dark eyes looked up at him as she climbed, her eyes full of fear. Jacob grabbed hold of her forearm and stood, lifting the small woman easily out of the shaft and prodding her forward. He pointed toward the open weapon lockers on the port wall. "Grab a weapon and report to CIC!"

Before Jacob even finished the sentence, he reached down the shaft to help speed the next crew member's ascent. This time it was Mess Sergeant Gardner, and he repeated his order to the ship's cook. When he looked down the shaft again, it was empty.

He stood and joined a half-dozen of the _Normandy's_ crew hurriedly preparing for battle. Patel and Gardner joined the likes of Kelly Chambers and Dr. Chakwas in haphazardly slapping body armor over their regulation uniforms, charging weapons and silently preparing themselves for combat. He stopped just long enough to help Chakwas tighten the straps on her armored vest.

"How many?" Jacob shouted through the forward hatch.

Miranda called back to him over her shoulder as she monitored the intruder's progress on the security display. "ten, correction twelve, in vac armor!"

"The inner door has been breached," EDI announced. "Atmospheric pressure zero on deck one. They are now planting charges on the elevator."

The main lift had been frozen at deck two for just that reason. Any assault from the top would have to penetrate at least two additional armored bulkheads: the ceiling, walls and floors of the elevator itself, then the door leading to each deck. If they were lucky, the crew on whichever deck was penetrated first would have an extra minute before they were exposed to vacuum.

Jacob could be in his armor and sealed up in fifteen seconds flat thanks to years of practice. Mordin began suiting up the instant the order to repel boarders had been issued. But the rest of the crew? They'd have to rely on emergency closets scattered about the ship or asphyxiate. When the collectors boarded the _Normandy_ a little over a week ago, they intended to capture the crew alive. If the current attackers were willing to vent the ship, taking prisoners wasn't their goal. He pounded open his locker. His battle armor, as always, was hung at the ready. He backed into the rack and slid his legs in the suit, at the same time shouting through the forward hatch. "Miranda, clear the CIC! Take everybody down starboard to the hangar deck and get suited up."

"We don't have time! They'll be here any second!"

Jacob didn't bother to explain. When it came to shipboard security, absent Shepard, he was in tactical command. But Miranda was right. Getting the crew down to the hangar deck where most of the EVA equipment was stowed would leave the CIC undefended. Only Mordin and Jacob were equipped to fight in a vacuum.

Suddenly, Jacob saw himself on Eden Prime, looking up into the blood-red, smoke-filled sky. Polished metal poles seem to sprout from the ground everywhere he looked. Near the top of each, a corpse of a marine was impaled, obscene decorations atop a forest of spears jutting into the sky, all victims to an enemy they could neither recognize nor understand. The sense of helplessness he felt then, of seeing his comrades massacred like that, always seemed to come back when things were at their worst. He never told anybody though, showed it, or let it slow him down. Because when things were at their worst, people needed him the most.

And the memories always ended the same way. He couldn't stop it. Beyond the dragon's teeth, columns of mechanical soldiers advanced and destroyed everything in their path, their glowing cyclops eyes sweeping through the polluted air. Massed together like that, acting as a single entity instead of individual soldiers, precious little could stop them... "EDI," Jacob said, almost in a daze. "Tell the geth to report up here. All of them. Have them take the portside access."

"You can't be serious." Miranda realized the ridiculousness of Jacob's order at the same time of the gravity of the situation when a low _thump_ reverberated through the hull.

"The elevator shaft has been been breached," EDI reported.

"Hangar deck," Miranda shouted to the half dozen crew around her. "Move!" She cast a last look forward toward the cockpit. There was no time to evacuate Joker, and if the pilot's history was any indication, he would only waste time arguing. He would be protected from vacuum by an emergency barrier, but it would do nothing to save him from weapon fire if the invaders reached that far. Taking the cockpit would be futile for their attackers since EDI could assume or redirect control at any time, but they didn't know that, and the diversion might give the rest of the crew enough time to counterattack. But what would become of the helmsman, unarmed, crippled and alone at the nose of the ship?

Crewman Hadley was the last to go through the starboard hatch to the lab. He held it open for Miranda. "Ma'am?"

"Get everyone down to the hanger and get them prepped," she told him. "Then await orders from Operative Taylor."

"Aye," Hadley said and the hatch sealed behind him.

Miranda picked up a satchel from Kelly's communication console which held the last remnants of antipersonnel mines from the armory. Half a dozen were already in place around the CIC, armed to detonate if approached by anyone without a _Normandy_ ident. She retreated up the _Normandy's_ neck to the cockpit and set the last four on the deck as she went. They probably wouldn't penetrate the intruder's vacuum armor, but it might slow them down. After that, she'd have to depend on biotics, an M-12 locust and luck to keep her pilot alive.

* * *

Back in the armory, Mordin stepped aside as the newly armed crew cut through the short corridor leading back to the lab. He punched commands into his omnitool as he spoke. "Arming geth. Intriguing concept."

Jacob tried to drive the image of the impaled marines from his mind as he loaded himself down with extra weaponry and heat sinks. Visions of Eden Prime still haunted him almost nightly in spite of the fact the geth on board had been nothing but helpful, saving the entire ship with their timely arrival and near miraculous repair capability. And Legion... it had been rough going at the start, but time after time the mobile platform had proven its loyalty and trustworthiness. He wasn't ashamed to admit it anymore. He he _liked _the damned thing. It was one of them now.

But these new geth, they _weren't_ Legion. It surprised him how different he felt towards them now. How would they react to a battle between organics? Would they take arms? Do nothing? Did they have a sense of self-preservation at all?

The salarian donned his helmet, obscuring a thoughtful, wistful expression. "Wondering if the geth will help?"

"Yeah."

"Desperate times, desperate measures. Given the alternatives, agree with your call."

"Thanks, man."

"Besides, curious to see if geth drones exhibit initiative and intelligence without the guidance of Platform Two."

Another loud _thump _sent a vibration through the hull. "The elevator has been compromised," EDI said.

Jacob tied in his helmet's HUD to the ship's security system. He paced back and forth as he watched the feed. Armored figures dropped through a perfectly round hole in the lift's ceiling and started working on the forward door. "Dammit," he whispered as he saw Miranda heading towards the cockpit. It was too late to go after her or even argue. "EDI, lock out all systems in CIC. Begin depressurization of this deck as soon as all personnel are clear."

"Yes, Jacob."

_"Hadley,"_ Miranda called over the comm. _"What's your ETA?"_

_"We just got down here, ma'am. Suiting up now. We need two, maybe three minutes."_

Jacob performed a quick function check on his Mattock and winced at the thought of what its armor-piercing load was going to do to the CIC. He could tell from the security feed that nothing less was going to penetrate the enemy armor. Defenders traditionally had the advantage, but until reinforcements arrived, they were looking at four-to-one odds in the enemy's favor. It would likely be a very short engagement. Hopefully, they could hold long enough for the others to counterattack. He charged his rifle and looked across the aisle to Mordin. "Ready?"

A buzz from what sounded like an electronic cicada made both Jacob and Mordin look aft. They found themselves staring into a dozen glowing circles of light from the geth platforms standing in a gaggle near the aft access hatch, hands at their sides, their camera apertures independently scanning the two organics. They shifted silently forward to make room as the last remaining geth climbed from below.

Jacob stepped away from the wide open weapon locker and gestured inside. With surprisingly little noise, the geth lined up single file behind the front-most platform and marched to the open weapon locker.

* * *

Silas Wun lived to make things go boom. As a fifteen-year old he was suspended finally and irrevocably from school for overloading the building's power core and blowing out an entire wall three stories tall. At that point, he knew what he wanted to do with his life... make things explode for money.

Standing in _Normandy's_ elevator, he was making the most money he'd earned in his life prepping the final charge that would allow his team to access the most hated ship in the galaxy. But it worried him that instead of dropping through the floor as originally planned, team leader T'Rarul redirected him to the doors to CIC. That was just the latest of the wild pitches that had been thrown during this whole screwed-up mission. He wasn't in the loop by any means, but he'd been on enough ops to know something had gone drastically wrong.

Over forty troopers in full gear, plus a squad of LOKI mechs, had been crammed into three "Lamprey" assault shuttles for hours with no food, no entertainment, and no room to do anything except stare at one another. Then the _Normandy_ was late in arriving. Then Shepard left the ship unexpectedly, which caused a last-minute shifting of squads on the station to deal with him (though Silus was secretly thrilled not to have to face Shepard in close quarters on his own ship.) _Then _the order to go got countermanded at the last minute because of some further hold-up on the docks... With all the delays and confusion, and all the bickering amongst the rival groups, the inevitable happened. Someone from the _Normandy _crew made the ambush and warned the ship. The entire operation was caught in mid-step, and the higher-ups gave the order to go, in spite of the fact that the carefully orchestrated ambush on the station and of the _Normandy_ was no longer a surprise.

Three assault shuttles raced to forcibly dock with the _Normandy. _Silas' team, assigned to assault from the top deck down, attached the shuttle's breaching lock on the hull of the Cerberus ship and blew through the hull just as planned, but the other two shuttles never made contact. Shuttle Two with another squad and mech team was supposed to attach on the bottom of _Normandy_ and assault engineering and life support. The third was supposed to enter above the cockpit. Caught unaware, the _Normandy _crew in the command center and cockpit would have asphyxiated. After that, Team Two would take control of the ship while the others shut down life support and clear the ship of resistance.

Now, _they_ were going into CIC. Based on observations on Dashta, only four of Shepard's vaunted squad would be aboard: the two senior Cerberus operatives, the salarian scientist, and drell assassin. After that, the human crew numbered less than ten. Everyone else was on the station. So the assault team still had more professional warriors even if the initiative had been lost.

Silas stepped back and gave the circular frame one last visual inspection. Tamped perfectly, the dual-phase charge would first burn through the elevator's doors, then propel the hatch into the CIC with the loudest bang imaginable. The concussion should stun anyone close by, followed immediately by rapid decompression. Hopefully, the none of the crew had a chance to suit up...

"Clear!" he shouted, stepped against the wall, and keyed the detonator. There was no sound in the airless compartment. Only a searing flash, followed by moisture condensing briefly in the now opened hatch which quickly dissipated as the atmosphere flowed through the hole in the ceiling. But there was no rush of air, no explosive decompression. The CIC had already been vented. Before the smoke cleared, Eclipse troopers jumped down and rushed through in pairs, weapons at the ready.

"Negative contact," the lead trooper, a human, said as he stepped to the port side around the control consoles in front of him. An instant later, his calm demeanor faded and he jumped back as a blossom of fire erupted on the deck in front of him. He sounded more annoyed than hurt. "Shit! They got charges on the deck. No penetration, but watch out."

T'Rarul, the asari squad leader, stepped carefully to the starboard as she swept the silent room. Her tactical visor highlighted the hastily-placed booby traps. The consoles were all deserted and dark. There was no weapon fire, no signs of resistance, and no bodies. The crew had cleared out. Other than the antipersonnel devices, they had a clear shot to the cockpit. "Move in. Watch the aft hatches."

Silas detached his Roskenkov-Kovalyov rifle from its harness and fell in line behind T'Rarul. He activated his omnitool and knelt over each AP mine as they moved forward, deactivating them as he passed. Whoever had planted them was either not very skilled or in a big hurry.

The entire squad now occupied the CIC, split evenly by the console island in the middle of the compartment. As Silas knelt to disarm yet another explosive, a shout over the comm system made him jump. "Contact aft!"

He looked up sharply to see the port hatch on the aft wall open with two of the eclipse mercs tumbling helplessly toward the ceiling, biotic energy flaring over their bodies. In the silence of vacuum there was no sound of gunfire, but dozens of rounds streaked through the darkened room. The other four mercenaries dropped to firing position and their kinetic barriers sparked with seemingly endless impacts as they returned fire. One by one they fell to the deck.

From the open hatch, armed figures burst into the CIC single file, maintaining a constant stream of fire with pinpoint precision, riddling the bodies on the ground with bullets. Their white armor may have been unfamiliar, but the long sloping heads capped with a brilliant blue-white light was instantly recognizable by any organic in the galaxy.

"GETH!" Someone shouted as four, then six, then eight of the mechanical soldiers pressed in, turning their weapons to the port side.

"FIRE!" shouted T'Rarul, unleashing a barrage on full auto across the projector table in the middle. The rest of the troopers followed suit.

Bright orange fire erupted to Silas' left. He turned to see the last merc in his column, another asari, scream as her chest plate and helmet seared into slag. He caught a glimpse of an armored salarian as he ducked behind the starboard hatch, omnitool in hand. Then a wave of geth poured out, weapons at the ready. The troopers behind him barely had time to raise their own weapons as they were cut down in a hail of fire.

"Cockpit!" T'Rarul shouted and pointed up the forward stairs. "GO!"

Silas ducked and followed the asari around the apex of the center console to the cockpit. Behind him, another asari screeched in agony as she was torn to shreds by the machines. T'Rarul charged with Silas on her heels, fleeing the carnage in CIC. AP mines detonated beneath their feet as they sprinted forward, but without the air to transmit the blast the impact from the shrapnel against their armor only knocked them off stride.

The geth were defeated, subdued and forgotten after the Citadel, Silas always believed. The threat was over, they said. The war had been a success, they said. But then Shepard came back. And he had a geth with him. Shepard had made friends with them, some people they said, maybe even had control of them. Not just over the one he kept on his ship but millions of them waiting to do his bidding just on the other side of the Perseus Veil. But it was all just hearsay and rumor... until now.

Up ahead, lights in the cockpit still glowed bright with active sensors and displays, but all Silas could see was the airlock just to its left. Maybe, just maybe he could reach it and expel himself from the ship, then aim his trajectory in a leap back to the station. Because staying on the _Normandy_ meant certain death.

T'Rarul had other plans. "I'm going to ram this bitch into the station," she growled. "Cover me!"

The asari took only two steps before they both hurtled to the ceiling as if the ship's artificial gravity had reversed. Then, just as quickly, they smashed back to the deck. T'Rarul rolled to her chest and screamed as she extended her arms. Blue fire shot forth towards the cockpit, and a split second later she became enveloped by an even stronger biotic blast coming the other way. She shrieked in pain as the fabric of space seemed to rend around her, knocking her toward the starboard wall behind Silas.

The young merc tried to become one with the deck as he crawled toward the airlock, his rifle forgotten on the deck. Maybe they wouldn't shoot if they saw he wasn't armed. Shepard's crew was supposed to be that way, the type to accept a surrender. All Silas knew was that he didn't want to die. He made it almost two meters before fire tore through his body all along his exposed back. He curled up in agony. Lying on his side he saw a forest of thin white metallic legs and split-toed feet surround him. He looked up into the barrel of an automatic rifle aimed right at his forehead. Behind that, a perfect circle of light, as cold and emotionless as the dark hole in front of his eyes.

On the ground two meters away, T'Rarul's body spasmed uncontrollably as geth rifle fire ripped through her. Silas considered himself lucky that his geth's burst went straight into his head as he felt nothing when death carried him away.

* * *

"Cease fire," Jacob shouted. "Cease fire!"

The geth in the narrow passage leading to the cockpit stopped at once and simultaneously assumed defensive postures, rifles and submachine guns ready as they scanned for targets. They stood aside to allow the human and salarian pass.

Jacob stepped carefully around the bodies of the two dead mercs, his own rifle at the ready. Blood bubbled from dozens of entry and exit wounds on their bodies. He glanced toward the cockpit.

Miranda rose from behind the consoles on the right, her unfired Locust at her side. "Nice work," she mouthed to him from the other side of the emergency barrier. She paused for a moment at the sight of two of her friends standing amidst a gang of armed geth. She should be relieved, but for some reason she was far from it. She touched her ear to activate her mic. "Get a barrier on that hull breach, ASAP," she said. "And get the crew back to stations!"

"Roger that," Jacob said and turned toward his mechanical platoon. "All right you heard the word, let's go!"

Miranda exhaled sharply and leaned against Joker's chair. Three clean holes in a rough triangle punched clean through the soft leather from the back. She followed their path to the ruined console directly in front of them.

EDI's avatar materialized above the port console. "Jeff? Are you injured? Jeff?"

Sitting on the deck with his back against the portside hull, Joker stared at the holes where he was sitting until Miranda yanked him out of his chair. He pulled his ballcap up and wiped his forehead with his hand. "I'm fine, EDI. Looks like I'm going to need a new seat cover, though."

Miranda leaned over and helped Joker to his feet. Standing face to face, Miranda's expression was grim. "To your station, Mister Moreau."

"Yes, ma'am," Joker said, and hobbled to his chair. With the push of several buttons, he shifted the most important information usually on the primary console to his secondary displays. "Uh... Thanks. For not leaving me."

"Your insubordination has been noted," Miranda took a step toward his chair and placed her weapon on safe. She gave him a wry smile. "And appreciated. Now break us free so we can go get our people."

Joker snapped her a salute, surprised as she was that for once it was sincere. "Yes ma'am! EDI,Target the clamps with the dorsal lasers. Let's get out of here!"


	35. Fulcrum

_Scoped and dropped. _Garrus didn't need to watch the batarian's body drop to know he'd scored another kill. Without a head, it wasn't going anywhere except down. By the time it hit Dashta's blood-soaked deck, he'd lined up another target.

Another wave of Blood Pack shock troops in converged on the cafe across the promenade below him. Even if they had been better trained and disciplined, the giant krogan in white that greeted them out front would certainly have broken their ranks. It was Grunt's loud bellowing that drew Garrus to the cafe in the first place. Close combat seemed to fill every corridor of Dashta, but when the unmistakable cry of _I AM KROGAN _reached his ears, he had to find a vantage point. When he poked his scope through the ceiling panel to see what was happening below, he saw the tank-bred warrior wading into the throng of vorcha, alternately snatching them up in his hands and swinging them like clubs into their comrades, or blowing giant holes in them with his Claymore.

But instead of charging blindly into the enemy, Grunt stayed close to the cafe's front entrance, obscured by dull orange flames and thick, oily smoke. _Why isn't he moving?_ Garrus wondered. _That's not his style. _Then, from one of the windows came a flash, and another. Garrus zoomed in with his scope, which struggled to focus through the fire and smoke. There was no way to identify the individuals taking cover inside, but with Grunt nearby it could only mean one thing.

He'd found the _Normandy_ crew. More astounding, Grunt was on _defense,_ apparently by choice. The krogan continued to sweep the store front clear as the others covered him from the windows. At that point, Garrus snaked the barrel of his Mantis from his murder hole in the ceiling and started laying waste to anyone with a weapon supporting the vorcha charge on his trapped crewmates. If only he had some way to contact them...

* * *

Aboard the _Vellius,_ Ensign Tatia's talons scrambled across the console as he tried to make some sense of the confused emissions coming from the space around Erinle. All he could do was give Captain Artuis an exasperated shrug, but she barely paid him any attention. Instead, she glared silently at the asari Council representative who had come aboard immediately after Fleet Captain Lorian had been relieved of command. With the _Evoran_ towed back to port, the _Selelucia _recalled home and the rest of her sister ships destroyed by the collector vessel, the _Vellius _was the only remaining member of Task Force Twenty-One. Everyone aboard the turian frigate assumed that they would be going home with the others. When the relief fleet arrived at Sahrabarik, _Vellius _was ordered to stay on station. So they stood by and watched their own fleet limp away in shame.

And then Enlea T'vari came aboard with orders from the Citadel that the _Vellius _was at her disposal. The blue alien was polite like most asari, slightly less condescending, but not very forthcoming with information. When pressed by Artuis about their mission, T'vari would only say her mission was classified.

When the _Normandy_ broke formation and streaked off through the Sahrabarik relay to points unknown, Commodore Ceppalus ordered an immediate pursuit, but Enlea told Artuis to hold. Once again, the crew of the _Vellius_ had to watch as their comrades left them behind and T'vari monitored her omnitool as if it had all the answers. She was obviously receiving transmissions from somewhere, but they were so scrambled Tatia could barely recognize they were happening on his board.

After almost an hour of staring at her omni, T'Vari finally spoke. "Erinle. Make for the relay, please. Stealth approach upon transit."

Artuis looked back at her comms officer. "Tatia, contact fleet operations-"

"Belay that," T'Vari said. "You are operating under my authority. Maintain communications blackout unless otherwise instructed."

Captain Artuis ground her impressively sharp teeth. "Lay in a course," she growled. "Best speed to Erinle."

When the _Vellius _arrived, they found a situation as chaotic as Sahrabarik with the arrival of the collector ship. The small green and blue jungle world glittered in space. Civilian vessels fled the planet in droves. The _Vellius_, as ordered, disappeared into the blackness. Erinle itself was controlled by salarians who maintained one of the largest spaceports on its surface in the terminus. All shipping traffic to the bustling port on the planet had ceased, and the planetary defenses were broadcasting in the open that any approaching vessel would be fired upon.

The _Vellius_ bridge crew waited for orders. Captain Artuis, in spite of her turian nature, was not as patient. With the rest of their fleet several systems away and without having told anyone their plans, alone deep in the Terminus, she felt quite vulnerable, especially since the fleeing ships seemed to know something she didn't. "You want to tell me what we're doing here?"

The asari scowled at her omnitool. "Dashta Interchange Station. Where is it?"

"Geostationary orbit," Viska, the helmsman answered, "above the port. There must be one hell of a fight going on over there."

"Sensor, can you give us a picture?" Artuis sat down in her chair as monitors flared to life around her. Her XO slid into the chair behind as once again the Council representative worked furiously at her omnitool.

"Difficult to get a reading, Captain," the sensor officer replied. "Dozens of contacts around Dashta, most of them running... Looks like someone's tapped an Eezo core into their power grid. The whole station's resonating across the spectrum."

T'vari stepped towards Artuis' console. "Can you get a visual of the station? What's docked there?"

"I'll try," came the response from the intercom. Artuis eyed T'vari curiously. The council agent was looking for something specific. Moments later, a tiny dot appeared against the backdrop of Enrinle's lush surface. It magnified and resolved to a top-down view of the station. Only a dozen ships were still docked at the ladder-shaped station at the far end, transports of mixed types and tonnage. In the middle of them all, a black-and-white arrowhead-shaped ship struggled to pull away from its spire.

"Spirits!" Rusi shouted. "That's the _Normandy!" _

Artuis sat forward. "Tatia! Contact Commodore Ceppalus!"

_"Belay that!"_ T'vari shouted. "You will do nothing without authorization from me, do you understand?" Ignoring the stares now coming from the entire bridge crew, she swept past several pages of information on her omni. "Goddess..."

Artuis gripped her armrest tight enough she felt the tip of her talons crack. "Orders, then?"

"She's being boarded," Rusi pointed to the _Normandy's _back where the lump of a small shuttle had attached itself. Puffs of gas erupted from its frame. Similar leaks had erupted all over the station, and some docking arms had vented completely. Battle had consumed Dashta, and judging from the ring of ships docked close by, the Cerberus ship was the main target. The XO looked at her captain. She'd seen that look on Artuis' face before she defied Fleet Captain Lorian's orders when the collector ship attacked.

Enlea stared at her omnitool. "Which ship has the exposed core?"

"There's no way we can ID it with all that wild energy," Tatia said.

"Then compare the source location to the visual scan. Is it coming from the _Normandy?'_

"Negative," the sensor chief replied. "It's from across the station, fourth ship from the end. Looks batarian. Visual match ID's it as a Blue Suns privateer."

Ensign Tatia looked over at his captain and the Council representative as the two stared at one another and Artuis waited for the asari to make a decision. Yellow light pulsed around the hoop surrounding Enlea's left hand. At the same time, Tatia registered yet another heavily encrypted microburst transmission coming from his console. So far he had been unable to work out their point of origin, but the more of them he recorded, the easier it might become.

The asari closed her eyes after reading from her omni. "No action," she said softly.

Artuis whirled her chair around to face her. "We have the most wanted ship in the galaxy in our sights, whose commander prefers to come to the rescue of his hunters. Seems we should be doing something, one way or another."

"No action," Enlea repeated, staring straight at the turian. "Do nothing that will expose our presence here."

Artuis leaned back in her chair. The _Vellius _had not been directly involved in any of the high level communiques that surrounded the _Normandy _since its reappearance. The Council rescinded it's orders to capture or kill Shepard shortly after a meeting amongst the highest ranks of the Alliance and turian militaries. Fleet Captian Lorian had been present aboard the_ Normandy_ when it happened, as had this asari. The rumor amongst the humans was that was the reason Lorian had been recalled.

But now the same bureaucrat that took part in that meeting stood before her, taking instruction from some unknown source, and ordering her to sit by and watch as the prior target of the greatest fugitive hunt in galactic history was ripped apart before them. She might not be able to go in guns ablaze, but that didn't mean she had to sit by and do nothing. _Maybe that's your fatal flaw, _Artuis thought, _you never could just sit back and watch_. "Weapons, target the batarian vessel with Type-29's for indirect approach. Let me know when you have a firing solution. Helm, prepare to shift positions after launch."

The blue in Enlea's face deepened several shades. "All of you, stand down! By direct authority of-"

"Exposing an eezo core while docked is unlawful and an act of terrorism," Artuis explained calmly. Her reasoning was now part of the record for any eventual hearing, but mainly she wanted to give her weapons officer plenty of time to program the attack. "I am obligated under Chapter 33, Section IV, paragraph nine to utilize lethal force to remove the immediate hazard it presents to navigation and communications, as well as protect the station and its inhabitants."

"Wait-" Enlea stammered.

"Captain, I have a firing solution."

"Fire," Artuis said, keeping her eyes locked on the asari. But Enlea only stared back.

"Salvo launched. Time to target eighteen seconds."

Enlea's omnitool glittered to life once more. Enlea lifted it and read it with a blank expression.

"If that's the Council," Artuis leaned back in her chair, "patch them through. I'll terminate the attack and no one will know we're here." Seconds ticked by, and Enlea T'vari said nothing. Her mandibles twitched as she continued to stare the asari down. "But you're not talking to the Council, are you?"

"Impact," Rusi announced in the following silence. "Target destroyed."

* * *

Kal Reegar kicked over the body of a fallen asari in Eclipse armor. She and her mates put up stiff resistance at the corridor's junction, but they were no match for a coordinated attack like the one Shepard's squad mounted. He knelt and plucked heat sinks from the merc's combat webbing and chambered one into the Vindicator rifle he'd picked up two junctions back. He glanced over at the blue geth, who stood watch as the team loaded up on heat sinks gathered from the dead. He couldn't tell if he was unsettled at the sight of a geth covering his friends, or was just pissed the same geth was using his personal weapon. One way or another, he was going to get it back.

Shepard chambered a fresh heat sink and poked his head into the main corridor. "All right, four more to go. Everybody ready?" They had advanced almost halfway up the station and each intersection had been a hard-fought battle. Resistance ranged from panicked mobs of freelancers to elite mercenary squads, but the result was always the same. Nothing would stop the _Normandy_ crew on their way back to their ship.

A sharp click in his helmet's headset made him stop. It was followed by a digital squeal, followed by silence.

"The interference has ceased," Legion announced. "Tactical network online."

Shepard's heart pounded as the display in his visor flickered and solidified. True to Legion's words, idents and individual tactical situations began to resolve on a schematic of the station. All it showed were the geth and the quarians next to him, but it was a start. Almost immediately, three separate combat drones rocketed up the corridor, searching for targets. _"Normandy,_ do you copy?"

_"Read you loud and clear, Commander!"_ The relief in Joker's voice was palpable. _"You okay?"_

"We're intact. Ship's status?"

_"This is Lawson. We repelled a boarding attempt with minor damage. We had to shoot our way free from the docking clamp but are now free to maneuver."  
_

Shepard sighed with relief. "Good job on shutting down that jamming."_  
_

_"Wasn't us,"_ Joker said. _"It was coming from a batarian ship docked across the station. It just ate a couple missiles out of nowhere. Somebody out there likes us__. Or maybe hates them more."_

"OK,_ Normandy,_ stand by," Shepard switched to the squad net. Around him, Tali, Legion, Blue and Reegar took positions covering up the corridor. Sporadic weapons fire echoed in all direction. "This is Shepard, who's online?" Across the display in his visor, names and positions rendered into being, accompanied by voices Shepard worried he might not ever hear again.

_"Vakarian here. I have a visual on Grunt and some of the Cerberus crew."_

___"Grunt here! We've got wounded. But I got 'em covered! Nothing's getting through!"_

Tali, next to Shepard, smiled as she saw the names of her friends blink onto her HUD, each one seemingly giving her a piece of her life back. She listened happily to their transmissions as she covered up the corridor, shotgun at the ready:

_"Kasumi here, I'm actually right across from you, Garrus!"_

_"Ah, didn't see you over there."_

_"Of course you didn't!"_

Garrus sounded like he was asking the thief to pass the salt in the mess hall. "Do_ me a favor and take out that Eclipse commando down and to your three o'oclock, fifteen meters. She's about to cause trouble for us."_

_"On it- whoops. She seems to have become airborne. And boy did she not stick the landing. P.S. I found Samara!"_

_"I'm here,"_ came the Justicar's calm voice._ "How can I be of assistance?"_

_"Massani online. I'm in the next corridor over."_ Zaeed's feed erupted with fierce gunfire._ "Got some business to finish here then I'll work my way back to you."_

Shepard let out a long breath of relief. Most of the squad was now gathered around a single intersection close to where the _Normandy_ had been docked. Most of the fighting seemed to be concentrated in that direction. But not everyone was accounted for. "Garrus, round everybody up and get them back to the ship. _Normandy, _can you find another place to latch on?"

"_Resistance will be lightest toward the higher_ docks." Miranda said._ "Looks like we can get into Sixty-Seven. That will put us behind the squad and should give them a clear path for evac."_

_"Copy,"_ Garrus said. Heavy fire raged in the background. Shepard knew exactly what his friend was about to ask. _"Got other plans, Commander?"_

"Jack's not responding. We're going to make a sweep."

Miranda broke in on the channel. _"She left her comm equipment on the ship, but Kelly's got a lock on her last point of contact. I'm marking it now."_

On the map, a white dot appeared in a small shop off the central corridor, two sections up, away from the fighting but further from the rendezvous point. Garrus chimed in once more. "_Make it fast, Shepard. That jamming was working both ways. They're going to regroup before long. Want me to head your-"_

"Negative. You have your orders."

_"Roger that," _Garrus paused to take stock of the situation._ "Dock sixty-seven's __about fifty meters behind us, but we can make it. Kasumi, slide over and cover Zaeed on his way in. Samara, keep advancing directly ahead, you'll run into Grunt and the rest of the crew. See what you can do with the wounded. There's a lot of small arms fire coming from the central corridor, so watch yourselves. Shepard, you and the others be careful. Don't make me come looking for you."_

"We'll see you on the ship," Shepard said. "Out." Shepard peered up the deserted hallway. Bodies and debris choked the floor, the air clouded with thin gray haze. He motioned to his companions to follow.

"Who do you think took out the jammer?" Tali asked as they advanced. Behind her, Legion and Reegar kept a careful watch. More rapid-fire weapon fire, followed by a loud explosion, echoed from somewhere to their left.

"Don't know," Shepard kept his eye on the front door of an pawn shop on the left wall. Scorched corpses choked the front entryway, human, vorcha, and evan a krogan, all ripped apart from the inside. The door had been blown off its rails, and the walls nearby were perforated with hundreds of holes. Inside, flickering light fought hard to fight through thickening smoke. Shepard pressed his back next to the opening and called in. "Jack? It's Shepard! Hold your fire!"

He paused to listen while the rest of the squad stood watch nearby. Shepard was about to call out again when he heard a faint, female voice from within.

_"Jack? It's Kelly! Can you hear me? If you can't answer, Shepard's almost to you! Hang on, okay? Jack? Come in!"_

Shepard stepped slowly inside, rifle at the ready. Everything from chest to head level in the store had been utterly obliterated. Shelves and ruined merchandise were pulverized and scattered on the floor like plastic and metal confetti. He followed the sound of Kelly's voice to the back of the store and walked behind the cashier's station. The comm panel on the counter pulsed with Kelly's words. _"Jack! You should be able to see them! They're right on top of you!"_

Sitting against the back wall, her chest and abdomen soaked with blood from multiple entry wounds, Jack struggled to reach the comm unit but her arm fell as she slumped over. Shepard caught her as he knelt and he swept the floor clear of broken glass and plastic fragments before rolling her on her back, his omnitool algow. She coughed out a spray of blood onto the floor._  
_

"Tali! Legion! Medgel!" Shepard shouted as he tried to comfort the wounded con. She had taken at least five slugs through her midsection and upper legs. "Don't move, Jack. We got you. You're going to be all right."

Jack couldn't see clearly but she recognized the voice. "Hey," she gurgled. Next to the Commander, she caught a glimpse of lavender, and a fishbowl reflection looking back at her. Tali was there, too, as was Legion, with his bright flashlight eye casting crazy purple swatches across her blurred vision. When she'd called the ship to warn them, she didn't know if she'd gotten through in time or if they'd even understood her. Her entire body relaxed, and Shepard shook her shoulders to try and keep her awake.

But it wasn't shock, Jack knew. The ship had made it, which meant Kelly, Professor Blabbermouth, Joker, EDI and even the cheerleader and her boy-toy might be okay. Shepard, Bucket-Head and her pet geth were here, which meant Bird-brain, Tadpole, Mother Superior, Stickyfingers and the Grumpy Old Man were probably somewhere nearby. She'd fended off wave after wave from the Pack and the Suns behind her little fort, but her energy finally gave out. She'd gotten so used to having pinpoint covering fire from Thane and Garrus, the bazillions of rounds from the likes of Zaeed, Jacob and Shepard, and the pure brute strength of Grunt at her side that she forgot what it was like to fight alone. They didn't even try to come in after her at that point. They just blew the shit out of the place, and her with it. The entire time, all she could think about was whether or not the damn ship got away...

Jack convulsed as a jolt of pain stabbed across her torso. "Fuck all of you. Especially you, Shepard."

"No, fuck _you," _Shepard tried to smile as he plugged her wounds with synthetic healing gel. Legion and Tali did the same as they crowded around her. "Got bad news for you, Jack. You're coming back to the ship. You hear me? You're coming back. Jack? Stay with us now!"

"Fuckin' figures," Jack felt consciousness slip away. "I wasn't supposed to care..."

* * *

_**A/N: Back on the air! Okay, so life intruded there for a bit, made concentrating on this story hard. Then ME3 came out, and after how it ended I kinda lost interest in fanfic. I tried to write a couple of ME3 stories and while I'm satisfied with how they turned out, the conclusion of the ME trilogy really left me cold. But my mind kept coming back to this story, and I want to see it through. I may not be able to update every week, but I'm going to give it a go. While the overall story may stay true to the outline when I pulled the plug back in March, a few things will ultimately go differently. Ultimately, though, I guess in my head I want all of the characters I grew to know and love through ME2 to live on at least a while longer. This fic is how I can make that happen. Thanks for reading, and for everybody who's been around since the start, thanks for tuning back in. I hope you enjoy.  
**_

_**p.s. we're leaving Dashta... It went on far too long. Time to get the plot moving again.  
**_


	36. Those Responsible

_**ERINLE, OSUN SYSTEM, 0945 GST**  
**Dashta Interchange Station Ravaged by Conflict - **__Dozens are confirmed dead and hundreds more wounded after a running battle erupted throughout Dashta Interchange Station earlier today. Several docked ships were also destroyed, and preliminary estimates of damage to the station are in the hundreds of millions of credits. The identity of the combatants have not been conclusively determined, but initial reports indicate multiple factions of Terminus mercenary groups engaged each other in combat... **(read more)**  
_

_****__**ERINLE, OSUN SYSTEM, 0957 GST  
**_Fugitive Ship Docked at Dashta During Battle - The Normandy SR-2,_ recently branded as a terrorist vessel by the Citadel Council, was detected departing Dashta __by Erinle traffic control _thirty-four minutes after shots first rang out in the station's main commerce section. Station Manager Yila Kallamo publicly stated that she believes the crew of the Normandy_ instigated the fight, and private security forces engaged in self-defense... __**(read more)**_

___****__**ERINLE, OSUN SYSTEM, 1021 GST  
Cerberus attack on Dashta Station - **__EXCLUSIVE VIDEO captured by Lin Tolmare, station resident, clearly shows Citadel fugitive Commander Shepard leading a wild shooting spree through the corridors of Dashta Interchange._ _(see holo here)_

_**ILLIUM, TASALE SYSTEM, 1046 GST  
Terminus Organizations Unite in Protest -** __In a rare display of unity, representatives from sixteen of the Terminus Systems sent a signed letter of protest to the Citadel after learning that the Council had rescinded Commander Shepard's fugitive status less than ten hours before his participation in the "Dashta Massacre," which left an estimated 113 killed and over two hundred wounded. The Terminus Governors are demanding that all Citadel and Alliance forces retreat from Terminus space, including the fleet currently operating the Saharabarik system. Of note, Aria T'Loak of Omega has remained silent on both the incident at Dashta as well as the attack by an unknown ship at the Sahrabarik Relay two days before. **(read more)**__  
_

* * *

Commander Shepard paced angrily at the head of the conference table in the_ Normandy's_ briefing room. Everyone present had seen him after battle, sometimes dour, sometimes agitated, sometimes relieved, but always in control. Now there was an edge to his voice and a look in his eyes that belied what he was really feeling. This was personal.

Seated at the table, Garrus continued to study the schematic of Dashta and the replay of the battle, retreat and escape from the station. Miranda poured over data in her omnitool. Next to her, Jacob nodded or shook his head as he corroborated data against his own omni. Tali, like Shepard, paced up and down the long side of the table. At the far end, Mordin's fingers danced over a virtual keyboard and pulled up search results with a speed that would make most VI programmers envious. Projections of Dashta Interchange Station, its layout, ownership records, ship manifests, and current news stream piped in from the extranet were visible for all in the room to see.

"Maybe they were already there," Jacob speculated. "And we just stumbled into the hornet's nest."

Garrus kept focused on his display. "This was no chance encounter. Boarding shuttles, personnel and equipment already in place, coordinated attacks between different groups... Someone told them we were coming. They were waiting for us."

"Erinle's the third largest port in the Terminus, and in Omega's back yard. Hell, this could be their actual base of operation."

Miranda paused in her search long enough to roll her eyes. "How frequently do you imagine the Blood Pack, Blue Suns and Eclipse go in together on time shares?"

Garrus looked straight at the Cerberus officer. "They knew who I was, Jacob. They called my name. Zaeed mentioned the ones who jumped him did the same. They were looking for us, specifically."

Shepard stopped pacing to look over Miranda's shoulder. "Any luck pulling data from the ones you killed boarding the ship?"

"Not much," Miranda said. "They all had dead man's triggers built in to scrambled the data. But EDI did find this." She directed their omni-tool feed to the main holo. A roster of Normandy's squad members filled the screens. Next to their names were their probable locations on the ship or on the station, as well as a number.

"They had our crew manifest," Shepard growled.

"What do those numbers mean?" Tali pointed at the display.

"Bounties," Garrus said and leaned back in his chair. "This was an ambush, plain and simple. Impressive, Shepard. You're worth ten million. But do take note that Archangel edged you out with twelve..."

Shepard slammed a fist on the table in front of him, which made everyone look up, startled. "Goddamn it, I don't care who has the high score! I want to know how they knew we were coming!"

"Sorry," Garrus sighed and turned his concentration back on his display. He had only been trying to lighten the mood, but he should have known better. As long as there were casualties in the infirmary, Shepard wasn't going to be laughing. The numbers on the bounty sheet were more than just figures on a screen to him.

Shepard started pacing again. "We pulled a bait and switch at Tasale. We had a ghost transponder sent out to Ismar. How the hell did anyone know we'd be at Erinle?"

Miranda rubbed her temple. "Could be the people we paid off to spoof the transponder weren't reliable. I could confirm if you'd unlock the transmitters..."

"No," Shepard snapped. "Not until we know where the leak was. I don't want to transmit anything that could be traced back to us. Could be someone on the goddamn ship for all we know."

"Yes, sir."

"Docking complete," EDI said from her avatar projector on the table. "The geth are transferring materials."

"Keep at it," Shepard said to the team and turned to the hatch to leave. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Shepard!" Tali hurried after him. She caught up to him as he reached the Armory's hatch to the CIC. "I need to contact the fleet."

"Absolutely not," Shepard said. "Until we find out who gave us up, no transmissions to anyone. Period."

"But I need to tell the Admirals we're all right! That the geth were unharmed! They've called four times since the attack requesting status. I have to tell them what happened-"

Shepard whirled around so sharply he almost hit Tali with a raised arm as he pointed at her. "So? The Council is calling. The Illusive Man is calling. Admiral Hackett is calling. We are talking to none of them, nor will we call the Admirals. No transmissions. I don't want _anyone_ to know where we are. Clear?"

"Aye, sir." Tali could see the anxiety in his eyes and hear it in his voice. There was only one thing that ever made him act this way. "Shepard?" She reached out to him as he turned his back to her and headed for the hatch. "Jack's going to be okay." She hoped she sounded convincing enough.

Shepard sighed and patted her hand. Unfortunately for Tali, nothing short of the bald ex-con screaming and swearing in his face would convince him of that. The quarian sighed as well and watched the hatch close behind him before she headed back to the conference room with the others to try and get their captain some answers.

* * *

Shepard winced as he walked around the CIC's central projection unit. Black holes peppered the walls and consoles, and debris still crunched underfoot. None of the crew were around. With all of the damage and inoperative consoles, they simply had nothing to do. He and Miranda authorized them to stand down until repairs were complete.

In the dim light, the flashlight faces of the geth threw all sorts of crazy shadows around the compartment as a half dozen of them worked to bring the CIC back to life. He shielded his eyes as he passed a geth platform as it cut away the damaged elevator door with an arc welder. He imagined what it was like for the crew as they waited for the mercenaries to break though, wondering if they would be able to fight off the attack. Even though only one of the assault shuttles managed to dock, the Eclipse commandos managed to get all the way to the cockpit before they were stopped. Had the mercenaries been successful, the ship would not have picked up the rest of the crew stranded on the station. Tthey might have all met their fate on Dashta.

He maneuvered around to stand next to the blue geth standing at the Yeoman's console. "Hello, Commander," Blue said, still utilizing the natural sounding female voice it had adopted before meeting the quarian delegation. "Our shuttle has just completed docking."

"I heard. Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, now that we've resupplied. The _Pollus Maskawa_ has enough stock for two more such operations."

"Let's hope we don't need them."

"Indeed," The blue geth talked as it dug chunks of burned plastic from Kelly's console. "Repairs are going slowly in your quarters. While the hamster survived the attack, I regret to inform you that your fish did not. A large volume of water seeped into the deck and shorted out the enviro-gravitational emitters. It will be uninhabitable for a few hours."

"That's all right," Shepard said. "Don't waste time on it. Just get the hole sealed and I'll take one of the sleeping pods on the crew deck. How are things in here?"

"We've removed most of the damaged components, and should have replacements fabricated and installed within the hour."

Shepard looked around the ring at the six geth platforms quietly going about their work. "Thanks, Blue. We appreciate the help. And not just for the repairs... but for everything you did to defend the ship. Jacob and Miranda said they couldn't have done it without you."

The geth's flaps widened and contracted. "You and your crew wouldn't have fallen under attack if we'd proceeded with negotiations remotely as you had suggested. We were responsible for your predicament. It's our error to correct."

"No, it isn't. There are a lot of bad people out there who want a piece of us. You got caught in the middle. You didn't have to fight at all."

Blue set down the touchpad panel it had repaired and turned to face the human. "Oh, on the contrary. It's our obligation. You accepted Legion into your crew when all other organics greeted us with blind fear and hostility. You spoke and acted on our behalf when we were unable to do so. You've given us a chance to reach out not only our creators but to all people in the galaxy. If this causes conflict for you, we will share in it. The outcome is far from certain, but it's a chance we would never have if not for you, and our society would stagnate without it. It is we who are in your debt, not the other way around. We owe you our future, Commander Shepard."

Shepard couldn't tell if Blue's hyper-accurate mimicry in inflection and gesture or the words it said affected him more, but he found himself clearing his throat. He couldn't even think of anything clever to say.

Blue cocked its head. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you."

"Then I'll get back to my repairs," Blue rotated on its heels back to Kelly's console as easily if they had been discussing the weather.

"All right then. Later, Blue."

"Goodbye, Commander."

* * *

Councilor Tevos rested her eyes in her hands as if that would make the news coming out of Dashta go away. She forced them once more upon hearing the chime indicating an incoming call from her fellow Councilors. She sighed and settled back against the plush leather of her desk chair. "Gentlemen," she said as their holograms resolved before her.

"Well, he's gone and done it again, hasn't he?" Valern paced back and forth in the vid. "We grant Shepard a reprieve, and he celebrates by shooting up a Terminus space station!"

Sparatus sat rigidly at his desk, his talons clenched in front of him. "We should have taken the _Normandy_ into custody when we had the chance. It was a mistake leaving him under Alliance control."

Tevos rubbed her blue forehead. "What of the _Normandy_ now? Is our fleet in pursuit?"

Sparatus bristled. "Not at present."

"Why not?" Valern demanded.

"We don't know where it is. I am told we lost contact with them immediately after they left Erinle."

"What?" Valern shrieked. "Just who do you have running things there, Sparatus? _Saren?_ Shepard has been eluding C-Sec and your fleets for two years now! How can you not know where it is? Oh, I forgot, you didn't know he was going to show up at Erinle, either! We had to find out about it through that murderess on Omega!"

Sparatus stood and glared into the camera. "What are you suggesting?"

Valern shook his head and tapped on his omnitool. "I'm authorizing intervention by STG."

"You will do no such thing! This is a Council matter, and will be handled by Council assets. If any special operations are required, we will call in the Spectres."

Tevos stood now as well. "Gentlemen, please! We have enough problems right now without creating internal strife. We must remain unified in our focus on the crisis at hand."

"Dashta _is_ the crisis at hand," Valern's large eyes widened. "Over 150 confirmed killed now, many of them personnel of the station! My god, they're showing live feeds of children being brought out from a breached emergency shelter and they're claiming Shepard's crew did it! They are calling for his blood all across the Terminus and Traverse! Has anyone been in contact with the Alliance? They're just as much to blame for this mess!"

"I have been in contact with Admiral Hackett," Tevos said. "He assures me that Shepard is incapable of this kind of violent act. In fact, he's of the opinion that this was an attempt by Shepard to disperse his crew lest they be taken into custody, and that the attack was carried out by criminal factions unifying to try and eliminate them. And I believe him. We can no longer buy into the narrative that Commander Shepard is a terrorist."

"You can't possibly be serious," Sparatus said.

"I am," Tevos said, her eyes locked on his. "Councilor, you've read the reports. You've seen the footage from your own fleet and the data with your own eyes. Shepard has been telling the truth the whole time. This is not some ruse to throw us off his tracks. He has fought for years now to bring us this evidence and made it freely available to us in spite of his ties with Cerberus. I agree that the Dashta incident is significant and must be investigated and accounted for, but we can't let anything deter us from the responsibility we have to protect everyone in Citadel space from the impending arrival of the Reapers!"

Her two fellow council members regarded her with empty stares as she caught her breath from her extended tirade.

"Yes," Valern finally said, "of course you are correct. But we must respond to this incident somehow. The public will demand it."

Tevos sat back in her chair. "So we pull our fleets out of Sahrabarik, and ask the humans to do the same. That's what the Terminus governors really want, anyway. The tragedy at Dashta is just a smokescreen. They need our fleets out of there so they can resume business. That's all they care about. We already have all of the intel we need from the _Normandy,_ the collector wreckage has been recovered, and relay-to-relay communication has been established with our task force beyond Omega Four. Our presence at Sahrabarik serves no purpose other than to exacerbate the situation."

"Logical," Valern said. "And expeditious. What do you think?"

"I disagree," Sparatus growled. "Whatever his intentions, history shows Shepard is a menace to peace. Chaos and destruction seem to follow wherever he goes. He needs to be contained."

"The scale of destruction from Shepard is nothing compared to what we face if we don't prepare for the coming invasion," Tevos said. "For the greater good, we must address the reaper threat first. Once that has been accomplished, we can deal with the smaller issues."

Sparatus' mandibles twitched. "I will notify our commanders and send the request to Admiral Hackett to retreat from Sahrabarik."

Tevos nodded, relieved. "I will notify the Cabinet for validation while you work through the military chain of command. If they have a better alternative, we'll abide by it. And it is critical that we work with the humans - not just to alleviate the Terminus issues, but to solidify a common defense. But I believe the sooner we pull out of Sahrabarik, the better. It's oxygen waiting for a spark."

"Agreed."

"And what of Dashta?" Valern asked. "We cannot remain silent."

Tevos took a deep breath. "We offer our deepest condolences, denounce all acts of violence that were committed against the station and its inhabitants, and offer aid which will undoubtedly be refused. As for the _Normandy,_ it is no longer our concern. Shepard has acquired many enemies over the years. Regrettably, he has chosen a path that precludes our assisting him, and he knows it."

Valern laughed. "I'd say he's proud of it."

"We'll deal with him the next time he attempts to cross into Council space, if there is a next time." All Tevos got in response were silent nods from her counterparts, then dark screens, but at least she knew she had the cooperation of the other Council representatives. She wondered what the general public would think of their lack of formal procedure outside the view of news cameras? _Some things are best kept secret,_ she thought as she switched her console feed to her private, secure channel. Satisfied that the lesser issues had been dealt with, she could now concentrate on the crisis created by _Normandy's _return.

_ Pursuit of _Normandy_ is being terminated, _she typed.

_ Where are they now? _Came the response.

_ After fleeing Erinle, they jumped to Xe Cha. From there they set a course for deep space, a tactic Commander Shepard seems to prefer. Our operative is following at a discrete distance._

_ On a turian warship. This was a poor choice. They cannot be controlled.  
_

Tevos swallowed thickly and her fingers trembled as she typed. _Apologies. There were no other viable assets available when Shepard took flight. _

She watched the screen intently for a response. For a few seconds, all that greeted her eyes was the blinking cursor.

_ Did the quarians complete the transfer of geth from _Normandy_?_

_ Unknown, _Tevos replied. She had to delete it and type it again because of her shaking hands. _The quarian ship fled Dashta at the first sign of trouble._ Once more, there was hesitation on the other end of the line. Or was it something else? She had to wait almost a minute before the response:

_ Do we know who was behind the attack?  
_

_Not at present.  
_

_ It is irrelevant. The quarians must not be allowed direct contact with the geth. I will provide whatever is necessary to prevent that outcome. Maintain surveillance and alert me if there is any change. _Just as Tevos' fellow Council representatives ended transmission without acknowledgement, the chat window displayed one final, curt line of text:

_XJL40005AA6-1125 has signed off._


	37. Being Quarian

"May I have everyone's attention, please," Shala'Raan's hands gripped the railing of the Admirals' dais as she spoke, as if she might fall down if she let go. "The _Giraf_ has docked, and I have just been informed that the geth representatives are not on board. We offer our deepest regrets, but they will not be appearing today. Negotiations are on hold until further notice."

Murmurs of disbelief caused a ripple of flashing lights across the faces of the nearly two-thousand quarians packed into the Assembly Garden as they turned to one another in shock. After weeks of delays and false starts, only a handful of the Conclave had been coming to the daily sessions. Today, the most highly esteemed and privileged captains had arranged to be on board the _Rayya_ to be a part of history when the quarians would finally face the machines that had driven them from their homeworld. Banners from the nations of Rannoch flew from every corner and were draped over every edge. It was a gathering unlike any seen on the captial ship since the trial of Tali'Zorah vas Normandy.

Eric Dalhberg swept his camera across the terraced forum and his remote drone hovered high over the center of the chamber, capturing the growing discontent. Out of two thousand people in the room, there were only two other humans, each wearing the protective suits required by their hosts. He glanced up at the back row near the Garden's main entrance where Firaz Saxena covered the reverse angle. Through a throng of quarians exiting the chamber, his assistant gave him a thumbs up and spoke over the private channel built into their suits.

"These people are not happy," Firaz said.

"At least we're going to have _something_ to put on the air today," Eric replied. "Set your remote on the platform, give me a wide shot of the Admirals and Castillo. Let's see how they spin this one."

"You got it."

Eric turned and zoomed in close on the face of the human ambassador. For a man in his early 100's, Ferdinand Castillo was remarkably fit, filling out the stark gray lines of his envirosuit like a model. His tidily cropped snow-white hair, mustache and beard provided excellent contast to his tan skin, wrinkled heavily around eyes that seemed to sparkle even behind the translucent mask he was forced to wear. Eric hoped he would look as good when he reached that age. The old man stared sadly over the retreating crowd, now openly booing and hurling insults at the platform.

Zaal'Koris stepped forward next to Raan. "I assure you, the geth delegation was en-route!" Koris' announcement only made the crowd's angry cries even louder, and the captains on the floor of the chamber turned to leave as well.

The ambassador moved to stand next to Raan and Koris. "My friends, please," Castillo appealed to the retreating crowd in flawless fleet standard, forgoing the use of a translator. "Give us a moment to figure out what has happened!"

"I can't believe this," Koris said as he stomped towards Admirals Gerrel and Xen at the back of the platform, along with Consul Rilos who had just delivered the news. "What went wrong? You're here, your ship is here! Where are the geth?"

"Apologies, sir," Rilos bowed his head. "But we had just greeted the geth at our airlock and they refused to board."

"They _what?"_

Admiral Gerrel shrugged. "Apparently our friend Shepard forbade the geth and Tali'Zorah to board unless he could accompany them, even though he was explicitly told he was not welcome here. Captain Carn rightfully rejected them."

"And then the good Commander apparently instigated a war as a response," Xen scoffed.

"It's true, sir," Rilos said to Koris. "We were lucky to get out of there with our ship. It was anarchy."

Castillo fumbled in his jacket pocket for his datapad and skimmed the Migrant Fleet news feed. _Hundreds killed and wounded in Dashta Massacre... _"Dear god," he whispered.

"Are you getting all of this?" Firaz asked over the comm.

"Oh yeah," Eric replied, going for close-ups with his hand-held rig and sweeping tracking shots with his remote. "Look up Dashta on your omni. See if we can tie this thing to the negotiations."

Friaz laughed. "On it! Think this will get us out of here?"

"We can only hope," Eric said as he continued to record.

"What happened to the geth?" Raan asked.

Rilos shook his head apologetically. "We don't know. They ran off with Shepard and Zorah while we were aboard ship discussing the Commander's demands. By the time we came back out, the entire station was a war zone."

Koris's talons clenched at his side. "And you didn't call for support? Or even report what had happened? We had two thousand of the most important members of the Conclave here, waiting! This is a disaster! Where is Captain Carn? Summon him here immediately!"

Rilos closed his eyes. "Captain Carn is dead, sir. He and several of the crew volunteered to go out on the docks in an attempt to find the geth. They were killed in the crossfire."

Admiral Raan shook her head in disbelief. "Why didn't you report in?"

"A ship, maybe the _Normandy, _patched its core into the station's electrical. No one could transmit or receive for thousands of kilometers."

"Barbaric," Xen shook her head in disgust.

Rilos sighed heavily. "I assumed command. Because station communications were down, we were unable to disembark. A neighboring ship took a direct hit and exploded, sending debris into our communication array. When we were finally able to break free, we powered down and drifted away to wait out the attack. They were targeting anything that moved, all vessels, regardless of registry. It was only after the _Normandy _fled that I deemed it safe to move. We made it back here as soon as we could."

"You did the right thing," Xen put her hand on Rilos' shoulder. "You handled the situation as best as could be expected."

Gerrel nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I'll make sure Captain Carn's heroism is noted in the fleet log."

"The geth are gone." Admiral Koris grasped the railing and slumped against it. "What do we do now?"

"We try and contact thim_,"_ Castillo tapped at his datapad to send a message to Alliance Command. He cursed mentally as the connection was blocked by quarian comm security. It would have to wait until he returned to the SSV _Shenyang._ "This can't be the end of the peace talks. Admirals, do you have any way of contacting Commander Shepard directly?"

Gerrel tried his best not to stare at Admiral Koris, now trembling like an old man as he looked over the empty chamber. "What's the point? Shepard had a chance to hand over the geth and he bolted."

"But why would he do such a thing?" Raan asked. "He has always favored reconciliation between quarian and geth. He's risked his life and career for it."

"Maybe he decided it wasn't worth it after all," Xen said. "You put far too much faith in alien goodwill, Shala. No offense to our distinguished guest."

If Castillo was offended, he didn't show it, but that was a key part of being an ambassador. "None taken, Admiral. Still, we need to hear Shepard's side of the story. He must have had good reason to retreat with the geth. Perhaps he felt they were in danger."

"Perhaps," Raan stared at Xen, who returned her gaze with an empty smile. "Please, come with me, Ambassador. We'll attempt to raise the _Normandy_ from the bridge."

"Excellent, Admrial Raan, Thank you." Castillo slid his datapad inside a vest pocket. "Might I be able to contact the _Shenyang_ as well_?_ I would like to make sure all the facts are available to us."

"Of course," Raan said and lead the ambassador off the dais. Koris followed wordlessly behind.

"Admirals, Ambassador," Eric said, bringing his drone down closer to the departing dignitaries. "Any comment on today's developments?"

Xen watched from the platform above until Gerrel caught her eye. "A word, Daro? Rilos, you're dismissed," he said.

"Yes sir," Rilos said, saluted, and made for the chamber exit, relieved to be excused.

Xen and Gerrel walked slowly toward the Admiral's Chamber, their footfalls echoing in the now empty Assembly Garden. "Well, another day gone," Gerrel said with a shake of his head. "I'm not sure how much more of this the Conclave is going to take. Their patience is running out."

"If it gets us closer to peace it's worth the effort," Xen said as they passed through the chamber's threshold. She nodded to Gerrel as he politely held the hatch open, then stepped through behind her.

"Absolutely," Gerrel agreed. When the hatch sealed shut, he marched right up behind Xen, his voice quivering with rage. "Have you gone completely mad? When you said you had a plan to capture the geth, you didn't say anything about destroying a space station! What by the gods were you thinking?"

Xen leaned against the meeting table and drummed her claws against its surface. She had of course been informed of the geth's departure and the attack on Dashta mere minutes after it happened. Fortunately Rilos was enough of a political animal that Xen knew exactly how to earn his compliance. She might not be able to make him an admiral, but she always had slots on her staff for people who were willing to cooperate. "I was thinking that as soon as Shepard figured out what we were planning, he'd do everything in his power to stop it. So I let it be known to certain parties on Omega that the _Normandy_ was going to Dashta to prevent any future interference."

"Do you know how many people have been killed?" Gerrel spun Xen around by her shoulder. "Civilians! Non-combatants! One of our own captains!"

"Don't be naive. Most of that death toll comes from the bodies of dead mercenaries-"

"_Most _of them?"

"-at the hands of Commander Shepard, who would otherwise be using those considerable talents against us. He needed to be removed from the equation for this to work, Han. Do you think he'd sit idly by and just assume the geth let us return home out of the goodness of their hearts, which they don't even have? That he wouldn't become suspicious that the geth spontaneously and voluntarily returned themselves to our control?"

"You talk about Shepard like he's an enemy. He's an honorable soldier and a friend of this fleet!"

Xen stared at Gerrel, hard. "A friend of the fleet wouldn't take sides with our worst enemy, and then take them aboard as crew. A friend of the fleet wouldn't have concealed the one hope we have of taking back the homeworld while avoiding terrible losses to our people. It took us weeks to recover the research on the _Alarei, _to piece together what was left behind. Had Shepard stepped forward, as a _friend, _we'd be standing on Rannoch right now."

She turned back to the table. "Damn Rael for getting himself killed. And damn that daughter of his as well. Fawning all over an alien like some star-struck adolescent. Not understanding he would probably vomit in her face if he saw any deeper than the curves of her suit. She should have fought her exile down to her last implant, yet she's embraced her new name as if it were her birthship's! Worse than that, she's parading around with those gods-begotten machines like they're her clan! She's forgotten what it means to be quarian."

Gerrel's face fell. _Tali,_ he thought. _Your best friend's jewel of a daughter. _What would Rael think of his little girl if he saw her now? Daro'Xen was many things, manipulative, conniving, but also a shrewd judge of character. If Rael'Zorah had not died on the _Alarei, _ what would he think of his daughter galavanting around on a human starship, a Cerberus flagged one at that? Nothing much mattered to Gerrel beyond who was a friendly and who was a target, but even to his tired old eyes, he could see how Tali worshiped the deck on which Shepard walked and it made even him uncomfortable.

But where Xen was most correct was that Tali'Zorah now called the geth, Legion, a friend, which was what got this whole rotten peace process started to begin with. What would Rael have thought of any of this? Would he have taken his daughter's side? Gerrel had warned Xen against any action that could harm Tali, but now he could almost imagine Admiral Zorah standing behind Xen, nodding sagely as she made her case.

Xen looked back at Gerrel. "And maybe you have, too. I don't know why I have to explain any of this to you. We're not doing this for glory, or conquest, or any of your antiquated notions of honor. We're taking back our home. This is the survival of our people, Han. It comes before anything else."

Gerrel's finger was centimeters from Xen's faceplate. "Don't lecture me about serving the people. I was flying combat patrols when you were still taking formula in your bubble."

"Then why cry for a hundred aliens while tens of thousands of our own people die each year we rot in deep space, inside aging hulks filled with failing machinery, when the means to save our people is within our grasp?"

"How is it still in our grasp? Your plan failed, Xen! Your virus is still unproven! We don't have any geth for testing! And if Commander Shepard ever figures out you betrayed him... Gods help us all."

Xen took a deep breath. Antagonizing her only ally on the board wouldn't benefit anyone. She needed to keep things unemotional and logical. Then, she knew, Gerrel would listen. "Yes, my plan failed. While some of the things I have done have may be morally questionable, it has all been for the good of the fleet. Making unpleasant decisions is part of being quarian. But all is not lost. We may not have gathered our specimens, but we have put an end to the Conclave's desire for negotiation. After this latest insult, I think we can swing the vote our way, even if the Ambassador can convince the geth to try again."

"Maybe so," Gerrel said. "But what does that buy us? They'll be able to confirm an admiral amenable to attack in what, a day? A week? The fleet is in position to strike, but this ruse of a training maneuvers will only last for so long. We need to go soon, if we're going to go at all."

Xen tugged at her veil, smoothing out a wrinkle. "I know. But I promise you, an armed invasion of the homeworld can be avoided if we can simply find a way to get the virus into a geth hub. It's worth the effort, Han. Think of the bloodshed that could be avoided. Please give me the time I need to come up with an alternative."

Gerrel regarded the woman with a reluctant stare, followed by a sigh. "If it means saving the lives of my soldiers, then you've got it. I'll back you any way I can. But we are fighting time itself here, Daro. There may never be another chance like this to strike." With that, he turned on his heel and out the hatch.

Daro'Xen sat against the conference table and rubbed her neck, which meant snaking her hands around the circulation tubes that connected her helmet to her suit's central circulatory system. Her entire life she always dreamed of what it must have been like to live without these infernal suits. Every other species in the galaxy could roam free, do as they would without fear of coming into contact with something as innocuous as a drinking glass and worrying if it would kill them.

_We were so close,_ she thought. Had the geth simply boarded the _Giraf_, all geth would have been under quarian control within hours and the Migrant Fleet would be on its way home... and the _Normandy_ would not have been around to stop it. It's not that she wanted Shepard dead. In fact, she admired the human and his crew in many ways. But if she was sure of one thing, it was that Commander Shepard would stop at nothing to prevent the quarians from regaining control of the geth. And if she had to choose between a human and his crew or her people, there was no choice at all. It was as she told Han'Gerrel only moments before...

Making unpleasant decisions was part of being quarian.


	38. Good Deeds

As Shepard climbed down _Normandy's_ starboard access to the crew deck, he heard the sound of conversation echoing through the ship's walls. As he stepped out into the main corridor he looked about for the source. To port, the hatch to the ship's lounge was closed, as was the one leading to the starboard observation lounge. All of the doors to the crew quarters were similarly sealed. It sounded like everyone was in the mess.

It was friendly, excitable chatter, he was relieved to hear. Recollections of close calls, "that close's," and "almost had me's," amidst the clatter of flatware on serving trays. With most of the crew on stand-down, they had gathered to share stories of their narrow escape from Dashta. Mixed mongst the voices were Kasumi's laughter, loud bellows of Grunt describing the enemies he'd torn limb from limb, and Zaeed's dry evaluations of the mercenary groups' skills as fighters.

He quietly made his way to starboard toward the infirmary. If he kept a low profile, he could get to the doctor without disturbing their bull session. Talking things out was one of the best ways to coping with traumatic events and he didn't want to interrupt. He rounded the bend, and to his surprise a tall figure stood in the dim light near the medbay door.

"Figured you'd be headed down here," Garrus said.

Shepard glanced into the mess. The _Normandy's _crew sat around the tables, eating and talking, some sporting bandages and medigel packs from their injuries. Unlike the squad, most of the regular crew hadn't seen real combat before the collectors boarded the ship. They were rapidly becoming veterans. He looked back to Garrus and wondered why the turian was not in the conference room. "You find something?"

"Not yet."

Shepard folded his arms across his chest. "So you're hanging around down here to tell me you have nothing to report?"

"I'm waiting down here to tell you there's no point in going in there right now. If Dr. Chakwas had an update on Jack, she'd call you."

Shepard closed his syes. "Garrus, you have two seconds to get your ass back up to the conference room before I kick it up there."

Garrus shook his head and leaned against the wall next to the door, his own arms crossed. There were many times he'd ignored superiors, but he couldn't recall if ever there was a time when he disobeyed an order from Shepard. After Legion's dismissal from the collective, he'd talk to Shepard about the geth's situation and the Commander had been unusually terse with him. In the end, it wasn't Legion's predicament that bothered him so, but the lives that had been lost earlier. The fact that Shepard was skulking about the infirmary now indicated to Garrus that an unhealthy pattern was developing.

"You know, it's funny," Garrus ignored Shepard's growing impatience. "I knew this guy once who thought he made a huge mistake. I mean we're talking a colossal failure. A screw-up to end all screw-ups that got a bunch of his friends, people who looked up to him and trusted his judgment, killed. After which he spent the better part of a year pouting and brooding, wondering over and over what he could have done differently to keep from making that mistake. It became the focal point of his life, nothing else mattered. And nothing could change his mind, either. Not his friends, not his best friend."

Shepard blinked. Garrus never, _ever_ talked about Omega. No matter how many drinks were poured, or opportunities thay gave him, it was a doorway that was meant to be forever locked.

"And did his best friend try," Garrus said. "He put his life, his mission, even his beloved ship on the line to try and make things right for the unappreciative bastard. It was only until much later that this guy realized how many lives his self-pity might have cost had things went differently."

"This guy sounds like a real idiot."

"You should meet his commander. The point being, he didn't have the luxury of wallowing in self pity. There was too much at stake. He had other friends who were still counting on him. He finally realized that if he didn't get his head screwed on straight, he'd let down the people who needed him _now. _As bad as the original mistake had been, if he failed again would have been worse. Fortunately, that didn't happen."

Garrus stepped close, nose to nose with Shepard. Even in the dim light, the gouges in his facial plates an mandible shown plainly, as did the gnarled skin on his neck. "If i see that happening to _you_, I'm going to kick _your_ ass."

Shepard's jaw tightened. He didn't like anybody, even if it was his closest friend, telling him how he should handle his business. But the metal faced bastard was right. The casualties that happened on Dashta were part of the official record now, set in stone, and no amount of pacing or worrying could change that. The rest of the universe's problems weren't going to wait for him to try.

Garrus continued to stare at Shepard, unsure if his message had gotten through or not. He shook his head and walked past Shepard to the access ladder.

"Garrus?" Shepard said.

"Yeah?" Garrus looked over his shoulder but did not turn around.

Shepard gave him a slight nod. "You couldn't even kick one of my butt cheeks by itself."

"Why should I bother, they're only worth five million apiece." His voice trailed of as he rounded the bend in the corridor. "Do the math, Shepard. Remember, mine are worth twelve..." Garrus halted around the base of the access ladder and listened for the sound of the medical bay hatch to open.

Instead, he heard the Commander's voice, loud and boisterous, addressing the crew in the mess. "I do my damnedest to get you all off my ship and you keep coming back!"

Garrus grinned as applause and laughter echoed up the corridor. Kasumi's sing-song voice rose above the din. "Home again, home again, jiggety-jig! You didn't rent out our rooms, did you, Shep?"

"Well it looks like I'm homeless, so I may be bunking with you..."

Catcalls and whistles filled the air as Garrus pulled himself up the ladder, a smile on his face, back on his way to finding who stuck the knife in their collective backs. The small moment of jocularity and relief non-withstanding, someone was going to pay.

* * *

Anadius' red glare was imperceptible to the Illusive Man for the array of the holo screens that blocked his line of sight. Assessments poured in from across the Terminus Systems and Council space as intelligence agencies and operatives tried to sift through a nebulae's worth of obfuscating dust and hot gas to find the truth behind the attack on Dashta.

The players, as it turned out, were all well known. Blue Suns, Blood Pack, Eclipse, and a half dozen lesser known groups had joined forces to eliminate Commander Shepard and the _Normandy, _much like they had done on Omega to try and kill Archangel. Both ambushes ended in failure. But there was no identifiable culprit at Dashta as there was with the traitor Sidonis in the Archangel incident on Omega. The best intelligence gatherers in the galaxy were now asking the same question. Who gave up the _Normandy_?

The Illusive Man pulled a drag from his cigarette as his eyes scanned over the screens. The quality and quantity of intel feeding into the chamber had been halved by recent interference from Alliance investigators and C-Sec. Worst of all, the most valuable source of intelligence in this instance, the _Normandy_ itself, remained frustratingly silent. All communications had ceased, including the quantum array, and no one had a clue as to where ship had gone.

But that didn't mean that Cerberus had to stand by and wait for something to happen. The Terminus rulers, disorganized as they may be, seized upon the mercenary attack immediately as a terrorist strike by Cerberus. The Council, as usual, acceded as expected to the demands to withdrawal, as did the Alliance. Once again, humanity was cast as the greatest villain in the galaxy.

While the Commander Shepard might not be willing or able to defend his actions, The Illusive Man was not so constrained. "Have records pull up every one of Shepard's missions on the SR-2," he told his nameless, faceless subordinates beyond the screens. "The names of everyone he's assisted. For every story about the incident at Dashta painting him in a bad light, I want ten showing his true colors as a hero. Push the idea that the _Normandy_ was attacked at Dashta, not the other way around, and that Shepard and his crew in fact saved the station from a criminal takeover. There were many killed who were utilizing combat armor and military grade weapons that would not ordinarily be found in the possession of dock workers and merchants. This should be the primary message. Put it out through through all of the mainstream channels and the extranet as well."

The Illusive Man stood and squinted into the bright light of the boiling red sphere in the window. "I want Shepard's deeds to be so well known that by the next time he docks, the galaxy will be begging him to establish himself as emperor."

A female voice drifted down from one of the screens representing Cerberus' covert media arm. "That may not be necessary, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"It looks like someone is doing that for us..."

The multitude of holo panels merged into one, providing a theater-sized screen for the single member in the audience. There was a moment of digital distortion as the playback queued up, then a familiar female human face filled the screen.

"This is Emily Wong for Future Content. Immediately after the savage firefight ripped through the docks of Dashta Interchange station, calls for the arrest and detainment of Commander Shepard of the _Normandy _went out across the Terminus Systems and Citadel Space. Outcry over the attack on the unarmed station has been unanimous. But a single extranet site, _Normandy's Hope_, went online a mere hour after the incident, extolling Commander Shepard as a hero who was being unjustly blamed for inciting the violence.

"What makes _Normandy's Hope_ unusual is not just its message, flying in the face of the overwhelming negative sentiment towards Shepard, but its creator. A one-time consort of Matriarch Benezia T'soni, Shiala T'avo currently heads up the struggling colony of Zhu's Hope on Feros in the Theseus system. She has a long history with Commander Shepard, though initially, not a peaceful one. I spoke with Shiala via relay briefly about her experience with Shepard and why she erected the site._  
_

_"Shiala, thanks for taking the time to talk to our audience. When did you first cross paths with Commander Shepard?"  
_

At first, the Illusive Man thought his top-of-the-line holo projector was out of alignment as the asari on screen had a decidedly green tint, but then the name _Shiala_ registered. A green-skinned asari was not a rarity, it was unique to Shiala's exposure to the thorian's spores. He would have to give her file another look later. He leaned back in his chair and took a long drag from his cigarette.

_"It is my pleasure, Ms. Wong," _Shiala said. _"As damning as it might sound, my first encounter with Commander Shepard was at gunpoint. The colony of Zhu's Hope was ravaged, consumed by the spores of a sentient plant known as a thorian, then an assault on the colony by the geth. Either the geth attack or the thorian would have been enough to eradicate the colony... __and I was responsible for both."  
_

_"It was my fault. Regardless of how it happened, it was my fault. I brought chaos and destruction to a hundreds of people I didn't even know, and I was powerless to stop it. But Shepard wasn't. He eradicated the geth on Feros and saved its population by destroying the thorian. All that was left was to deal with the... the one responsible for bringing devastation to that peaceful place."  
_

The green-skinned asari stopped and covered her mouth with her hand, an ordinarily certain tell that someone was lying, but the Illusive Man could tell the woman was not faking her outburst. Tears flowed from squinting eyes as she sobbed uncontrollably, doubly surprising to the Illusive Man because he could tell she was an individual of great internal strength.

_"I wanted nothing more than to atone for what I had done. Failing that, death was my only option. And there stood Commander Shepard, with my fate in his hands along with a handgun of impressive caliber. I explained to him the mistake that I made, and how I intended to correct it, how I would make it my life's mission to save the colony._

_"All he had to do was pull the trigger to send me to eternity.__ Even after the attacks he and his friends endured at my hands, he lowered his weapon and listened to me. He gave me a chance when there was no practical reason because I might yet have some positive effect on this insignificant, forgotten corner of space. Not to mention the fact he could have just taken what he came for and left the colony to fend for itself. Instead, he gave us our future.  
_

_"I will never forget what Commander Shepard did for me, for all of us on Feros. And I promise you, on the everlasting spirit of Athame, that he did not cause the tragedy at Dashta. I beg for anyone out there searching for the culprit to look elsewhere. It's not possible that Commander Shepard attacked the station. I stared into his eyes, into his soul that day... and he is incapable of the actions for which he is being blamed. I want the galaxy to know it."_

Emily Wong once again appeared on the screen, walking through one of Omega's endless dingy brown, dilapidated corridors. "Shiala's experience was not unique. Immediately after Dashta, Commander Shepard and the _Normandy_ became the most widely searched subjects on the extranet, and soon others began posting their own encounters with the Commander, including Celo Gr'ean, a batarian merchant living on Omega in the Sahrabarak system."

A batarian's face filled the screen. Ordinarily, when talking about human beings, all four eyes of a batarian would narrow, doubly enhancing the menace or distaste the species had for humanity. But this one's eyes were filled only with calm reflection.

_"Commander Shepard," _he said. _"I remember him. I remember him well. A plague had come to the slums of Omega. Killed in the worst way imaginable. Your lungs would slowly fill with blood. You'd cough it up for days with the most horrible, wracking pain you can imagine. Every breath was like inhaling broken glass... until you could draw breath no more and you drowned in your own fluids. I can't tell you how many people I saw drop to the floor and die... or how many more wished they were dead. _

_"I was taking my last breaths right here where we're standing. Humans weren't affected of course. Everybody but them and the vorcha. But then this human and his friends come wandering through the plague zone on some kind of mission. Bodies everywhere, but I'm still kicking, one of the last ones alive on this block. He says he's trying to find this salarian doctor is working on a cure. My first instinct? Tell the pink-skinned bastard how he can go -bleep- himself. What does he do? He gets down right in front of me and pumps me full of medigel. Takes as much as he can from his team as well, tells me to hold on, help will be coming.  
_

_"Medigel, I think. Big deal. It'll keep me alive for a few hours, maybe the rest of the day. So I sit there, too weak to move, hacking up what's left of my lungs all over the deck of this place. And damned if a little while later a med team doesn't come right to where I was lying on the ground. I ask them how they found me... The dead were everywhere, I could have been just one more body for the pyres. They say this human commando came into the clinic wanting to know how he could help with the cure. He went out to find it, but he told them about a batarian who was still clinging to life back in the slums... and he gave them my coordinates and told them them to come find me. The next day, they were injecting me with the vaccine, along with everybody else who'd come down with the plague. How many lives did Shepard save? I can't even begin to count. But I can start with one," _the batarian pointed to himself.

_"Humans are the scum of the galaxy. They take what they want, then hide behind rules and regulations and politicians to make it 'legal.' And they don't give a crap about anybody but their own... At least that's what I used to think. You're not all like Commander Shepard. You can't be. But if your species can produce just one like him... maybe you're not the worst scum in the galaxy. And I tell you something else. Dashta is one step down from Omega on the list of places a hero would visit, but damn if we didn't need him here. There is no way on Khar'shan he started that fight."  
_

Emily Wong once again dominated the screen. "Stories like Shiala's and Celo's began to pop up all over the extranet, with the _Normandy's Hope_ site becoming an informal nexus for people sharing their experiences with Commander Shepard and the _Normandy, _their backgrounds as varied as the system they represented. Noveria. Feros. Illium. The Citadel. People from all species, all walks of life. But what propelled _Normandy__'s Hope_ to the top of extranet searches were not the impassioned testimonies of common citizens of Terminus and Citadel space, but one uploaded from the krogan homeworld of Tuchanka."

The screen fizzled and popped with static, then resolved to show a rubble-strewn, gray-green chamber dominated by a throne where a massive krogan in crimson battle armor and three parallel gashes across his right cheek stared regally into the camera.

_"This is Urdnot Wrex, of clan Urdnot, former member of the SSV _Normandy_ crew under Shepard's personal command. Did Shepard do that damage to Dashta? Well, he sure as hell could have. Shepard could kick the living -bleep- out of anything in this galaxy, with the possible exception of me. And even then, I only give him a thirty percent shot. Twenty-five if he brings the turian with him. If you're watching, Shepard, Vakarian only slows you down."_

_"Wrex," _demanded a female voice from off screen. _"Stay on message."_

_"Right," _Wrex regained his focus. _"Sure, Shepard _could_ have started that fight on Dashta, but he didn't.__ You know how I know? It's still there. If Shepard's goal was to wipe out that station, it would be GONE. You wouldn't be interviewing survivors. There wouldn't be evidence left to sift through to tie him to the deed. There would be NOTHING. But that wouldn't matter because he'd come right out and tell you to your face. That's how Shepard works. He doesn't -bleep- around."  
_

_"Wrex," _said the off-screen voice again. _"This is going on a public forum. Don't embarrass us."_

The big krogan shifted in his seat, avoiding eye contact. _"Well, what am I supposed to to? Pretend this doesn't piss me off? Someone out there tried to kill my friend, hell, the only friend the krogan ever had, and they're gonna try and pin this -bleep- on him?"_

_"Wrex, calm down! We need this to be respectable."  
_

Wrex stood up from his throne and paced back and forth, his red eyes filled with rage. _"Don't talk to me about respectability. Shepard's the most honorable man of any species I've meet in five hundred years! He saved the whole -bleep-ing galaxy from extinction, and they're gonna come at him like this? Call him a traitor and a murderer?"_

_"WREX!"  
_

Urdnot Wrex advanced on the person holding the camera, his face contorted in the most horrible scowl imaginable or possible for a krogan. _"When I find the son of a bitch responsible for this, I'm gonna crack his bones, suck down the marrow, and when I __-bleep- __it out the next morning I'm gonna feed it to the pyjacks that infest this place, and then feed the pyjacks to the varren!"_

_"Will you PLEASE calm down?" the woman growled. "And stay still, you keep going out of frame!"  
_

Wrex grabbed the camera from her and screamed into its lens, his sharp teeth and black maw filling the screen. _"Do you hear me? Whoever you are, you're DEAD. Kill yourself right now by sliding down a mountain of razor rock into a crater full of nuclear waste you cowards, because that will be a hundred times quicker and less painful than what I'm going to do to you when I get my claws on you!"_

The krogan woman attempted to wrestle the camera from Wrex. _"Stop it! No! It's our last one-!" _But it was too late. Wrex reared back and with a mighty roar hurled the camera high into the air. The video frame to spiraled wildly showing flashes of daylight and wrecked stone walls before it impacted against a solid surface and the feed went dark.

Emily Wong appeared once again on screen and tried to suppress a smirk. "Since being uploaded to the site, Urdnot Wrex's video has surpassed over two billion views in less than an hour. And the video feeds and testimonies continue to pour in, with over one hundred submissions to _Normandy's Hope_ since the site's creation. In the interest of fairness, this reporter must offer full disclosure. I, personally, have met Commander Shepard and personally benefited from his intervention three years ago on the Citadel. His help in exposing criminal activity there was instrumental in my rise as a reporter, and attaining my position with Future Content.

"But more than that, I remember the lives he changed, the people he saved when he stopped the Spectre Saren and his geth army on the Citadel, a debt that millions of us can never repay. And while my opinions do not reflect those of Future Content or any of its affiliates, I would be remiss if I didn't invite miss Shiala T'avo to include my testimony with those on her site.

"That a horrible act of violence occurred on Dashta is undeniable, but the identities of the perpetrators is far from certain. We may never know who is directly responsible. All I can say is like everyone else on _Normandy's Hope_, that I'm certain of who is not. This is Emily Wong, reporting live from Omega, for Future Content."

* * *

On the bridge of the _Vellius, _Captain Artuis stared at the pair of contacts on her sensor screen, that of the _Normandy _SR-2 and the volus trader MV _Pollus Maskawa. _What a volus ship was doing in the darkest reaches of the Xe Cha system alongside the most wanted ship in the galaxy was anybody's guess, but Artuis was more interested as to why the Council representative on her ship wasn't letting her report it. Instead, they waited and watched, shielded by the _Vellius' _stealth systems, as the _Normandy _conducted repairs from damage suffered at Dashta.

Meanwhile, Enlea T'vari stayed focused on her omnitool, waiting for orders from her mysterious patron as they all listened to the conflicting reports coming out of Erinle about the attack on the interchange station. Throughout the bridge, muted chuckles and sighs erupted as the the exalted ruler of the krogan gave an impassioned speech touting Commander Shepard's innocence before summarily executing the planet's last remaining video camera.

"He got some hang time out of that throw," Rusi commented from her station. "I tell you one thing, though. I'd hate to be whoever that beast decides is guilty."

Artuis nodded absently and watched T'vari closely. She had never seen one of the blue-skinned species pale before, but in the CIC's dim light, Enlea's skin looked positively ashen.

Enlea leaned back against a bulkhead and powered down her omnitool for the first time since coming aboard. Whatever the last message was she had received, she obviously did not care for it. "Captain?"

"Yes," Artuis swiveled her chair around. Any order would be preferable to what they had been doing since tracking the _Normandy _to Xe Cha.

Enlea T'vari closed her eyes. The afterimage of the last message still burned in front of her. _"Ensure the destruction of the _Normandy _by any means_ _necessary_."When she opened them again, she saw the entire bridge crew was staring at her as more testimonies of Shepard's heroism flowed from every video screen. She contemplated what it would be like to be considered a traitor to her species, which she would surely become if she did what she knew she had to do. Captain Artuis risked it when she ordered the _Vellius _to _Normandy's_ side at Sahrabarik. Fleet Captian Lorian did it when he put Shepard in direct contact with the highest commanders in the fleet instead of the Council. Not to mention Commander Shepard himself, who always seemed to face the worst opposition from people he was trying to save.

Now, it was her turn. _How do the turians stay so calm? _Enlea wondered and took a deep breath. "Hail the _Normandy._ I need to talk to Commander Shepard immediately."


	39. A Beacon in the Dark

Miranda leaned over Joker's shoulder and mentally drowned out the general quarters klaxon that reverberated throughout the N_ormandy's_ cockpit and the enitire ship. "Have we got a fix on them?"

EDI's avatar next to the pilot's station pulsed with light. "Negative. We have no direct sensor contact. I have a bearing and an approximate distance based on signal strength based on established signature of the target ship."

"You know who it is then?" Miranda asked.

"Yes," EDI answered. "It is the turian frigate _Vellius."_

Miranda stood upright. "That's not possible."

Joker looked over his shoulder. "Name one thing that's been impossible lately."

_"What've you got?" _Shepard's voice sounded strained, punctuated by thuds as always happened when he called for a status report as he ran for the the cockpit.

Miranda sized up the sensor plot in less than a second. "Signal is a hail, Commander. Turian frequency, standard Citadel encryption key, requesting communication. "

_ "A hail? From who?"_

"The _Vellius, sir,"_ Miranda sat at her station and called EDI's analysis up on her screens. The probability that EDI could be mistaken was just about equal to the idea that a Citadel ship, let alone the _Vellius_ could have randomly found them here. Like _Normandy_, the turian ship could render itself nearly invisible by masking its emissions, but the comm signal was a perfect match. "Confirmed. This is the same ship that we encountered at the Sahrabarik relay. Range, approximately two hundred ten thousand kilometers."

"The _Pollus Maskawa _is requesting instructions," Joker said. "Their kinetic barriers just went up. And from the energy output they did _not_ get their shields from the volus."

"Tell them to stand by!" Shepard's voice reached them over the intercom at the same time as their ears as he sprinted into the cockpit. "Did they get a return off of us?"

"No, Commander," EDI said. "We have not detected any active emissions from the _Vellius_ other than the hail."

"Maybe they don't know we're here," Joker said as he configured his instrument displays for ship-to-ship engagement. "The Citadel could be sending ships to every system with a relay, hoping we'll run, trying to flush us out."

Miranda pointed to the blip on the sensor for Shepard to see. "They're directly between us and the Xe Cha relay. That's not a lucky guess."

Shepard leaned against the back of Miranda's chair. The one Council ship he might still consider friendly crept up on _Normandy_ undetected in the dark, and had flashed a light to get their attention. But how did they know where to look? More importantly, were they alone, or was the rest of their fleet out there waiting with them?

A turian voice came over the speakers, his tone calm and professional. _"_Normandy_, this is _Vellius_. Please respond."_

"Joker, plot a course," Shepard said as he slid into his own chair. "Two-one-six, mark ten. On my go, engage stealth systems and give me Max-V for five hundred thousand kilometers, then bring us about for a dogleg back to the relay. And tell the geth ship to get clear."

"Aye, Commander, plotting course two-one-six, mark ten." Joker settled into his seat. "All indicators are green, all stations report ready. Just say the word."

* * *

Ensign Tatia shook his head. "No reply."

Rusi glanced up from her panel and looked between her captain and the asari representative. "They've powered up screens and their running up their reactors. They're going to run."

"Damn it," Captain Artuis glared at the inscrutable asari. On the one hand, she wanted to order the ship ready for pursuit. Galactic testimonies aside, hero or villain, Commander Shepard was too important to let slip away when she was so close. But on the other hand, she was under fleet orders to follow Enlea T'Vari's commands. She still couldn't shake the feeling that whoever was feeding T'Vari orders did not represent the legal authority of the Citadel. "You gave away our position. They'll know you're tracking them now."

"The volus ship is breaking formation," Rusi announced. "The _Normandy_ is assuming a separate heading-"

"Helm," Artuis snapped. "Intercept course on the _Normandy."_

Enlea's lips tightened to a thin line. _Shepard's taking no chances after Dashta,_ she thought. She had to admit he had good reason. Captain Artuis was right as well - it was only a matter of time before the _Normand__y _crew figured out how they were being tracked. Enlea knew if she lost them now, she'd probably never find them again. Instead of retreating to her seat to prepare for maneuvering, she leaned over Ensign Tatia's shoulder and keyed the transmitter. She only had one card left to play... that her brief time spent on the _Normandy_ might earn her credibility. "Commander Shepard, this is Enlea T'vari. We need to talk immediately. I... have some information that both you and your geth friends need to see."

Tatia looked up at her with shock, while Artuis glared at her for the break in protocol. Enlea saw neither, as she closed her eyes and halted her breathing. The only sound she could hear was the blood coursing by her ears. _Please don't run._

"The _Normandy_ is coming to a stop," Rusi said.

"Incoming transmission," Tatia opened the channel. Enlea let out a deep breath.

_"_Normandy_,_ _here," _said an unmistakably human voice. "_This is Commander Shepard. Go ahead, Miss T'Vari."_

"I'm coming over," Enlea said and extended her omnitool. She worked its interface and Ensign Tatia's displays flickered, then reset.

"Hey!" Tatia shouted and made a grab for Enlea's arm but she pulled away. The entire cockpit flashed blue as Enlea's skin flared with energy, making the young turian retreat from the shock.

Artuis spun her chair around and stood, her sidearm appearing in her hand as if by magic, with Rusi next to her, both aiming their pistols at the asari's head.

"Wait!" Enlea held up her hands, her omnitool still glowing around her left arm.

"What did you do?" Artuis demanded. "Tatia?"

The ensign ran a quick status routine on his console. "We're still online, but there's nothing in the cache. The archive has been wiped clean."

"It's for your own protection," Enlea said with much more calm than a civilian representative staring down the barrels of two pistols should have. "Captain, I know you have no reason to trust me, but believe me the less you know the better."

Artuis' talons clenched around the grip of her Haliat Armory Stiletto. At this range, the highly customized, large bore pistol might not be able to take down a shielded biotic, but it would certainly pave the way for successive shots. "Better for who?" she growled.

"For all of us," Enlea said. "You, me, the _Normandy._"

"Vellius,_ this is_ Normandy," Shepard said. _"Say again, Enlea. We lost you there for a second."_

Artuis kept her eyes locked on Enlea's over the sights of her pistol. The events of the past two days made no sense, and she had been trying to piece together puzzle since the start of the mission. _Normandy__'s _return from Omega Four. Cerberus' exposure trying to aid her. The alien dreadnought's attack on the turian fleet sent to capture the terrorist ship... and their miraculous rescue by the very ship they were hunting. Lorian and T'Vari boarded _Normandy_ at Shepard's invitation with the intent of apprehending him. Two hours later the charges were dropped and the Alliance and Citadel fleets began a massive joint operation beyond Omega Four.

But right when things seemed to be settling down, Fleet Captain Lorian was relieved and recalled to the Citadel. T'vari came aboard with orders placing _Vellius_ at her command. _Normandy_ eluded both fleets and escaped to Erinle, to a worthless, crime-ridden space station that existed only to allow trade outside the view of any law. Dashta Station was nearly destroyed in a firefight allegedly instigated by Shepard. Somehow T'vari knew they were going to be there and when Artuis intended to intervene, T'vari ordered her to halt, albeit with great reluctance.

And now, the asari diplomat, safely out of view of anyone from the Citadel, Thessia or the fleet other than the of the crew of the _Vellius_ was demanding to go back to the _Normandy. _It was clear that whatever T'Vari wanted to discuss, she didn't want to do it over comms.

Artuis slid next to Tatia's console, still keeping her pistol trained on T'vari She nodded to Tatia to re-open the channel. "This is Captain Artuis, Commander Shepard. With your permission, we'd like to transfer to the _Normandy_ by shuttle."

There was a pause. _"Our hangar is standing by. I'm looking forward to meeting you, Captain," _Shepard said.

Rusi stared at her captain, jaw agape, mandibles wide. The XO's shocked expression was second only to Enlea T'Vari's . "You can't be serious, ma'am."

Enlea cocked her head at the turians who still held her at gunpoint. Though she did not drop her biotic shield, both her expression and toned softened. "There's no time to lose, Captain. Commander Shepard is waiting for us."

* * *

If there was anything Kal'Reegar hated, it was waiting. After Shepard's group retrieved the badly injured tattooed, bald human, they fell back down the corridor they'd already cleared to link up with Vakarian's group retreating to the ship. Kal had listened to Tali's messages repeatedly during her tour with the original SSV_ Normandy_ and marveled at he tales of working, living, and fighting side by side not just with humans but a turian, an asari and even a krogan. Like many in the fleet, he wondered how much was truth and how much was the embellishment of a girl on pilgrimage, trying to impress potential captains with her exploits so she'd be welcomed into the rosters of the finest ships.

As if she needed to embellish. Simply being clan Zorah, the only child of a sitting Admiral at that, assured her of prime ship and name. Instead she struck out on her own after turning away gifts and offers of assistance from many captains trying to curry favor with her father... and brought back more information on the geth than the top researchers in the fleet, Admiral Zorah included.

So when Kal found himself on the run on a station under siege, with a krogran vanguard leading the column, a turian providing cover and tactical guidance along with an asari rear guard who slaughtered any opponents who dared expose themselves with a casual flick of her wrist, all to reach a human ship built and funded by a terrorist organization, he wasn't surprised. After all, only minutes before he'd had his rifle commandeered by an excessively polite geth as the battle started. As far as he was concerned, that set the tone for the rest of the day.

Now, he was the only person aboard the _Normandy_ without a post. After helping tend to the wounded, he volunteered to assist in menial ship-board duties. He had minor repair skills learned in the field and knew his way around an omnitool, but before he could get started on any job, he'd find one of the flashlight-heads already doing it. They needed more materials for the fab in the armory? There was a geth already dropping off a crate of it. The decking in CIC needed replacing from where an AP mine went off? A geth was there neatly welding in a replacement tile. Even the human mess sergeant turned his help away as he prepared a hot meal for crew members exhausted and hungry after combat. The humans packed into the galley took their trays and happily thanked the silent machines who handed them the organic materials they needed to replenish themselves.

Lacking any other direction, he called the one person on the ship he knew the best over his suit comm. "Anything I can do for you, ma'am?"

Tali sounded weary over the speakers. "Kal? Well, no. Not really. I think we've got pretty much everything under control. Where are you?"

"In the galley with the crew. Trying to find a way to make myself useful."

Tali's giggle made him smile. "You've been trying since I've known you," she said. "Come on down to Engineering. We'll find something for you down here."

"Right away, ma'am," Kal said. "Uh, how do I get to you?"

"Hang on. EDI, would you show Kal how to get to me?"

"Of course, Tali," a female voice came over the channel. It was very authentic sounding, but Kal knew a VI when he heard one. "Mister Reegar, please walk forward from the galley and return to the ship's centerline where you will find the main lift..."

The elevator took him to the fourth deck overlooking the hangar where he followed a line of blue lights in the decking which lead him through the port side access to engineering. When the hatch opened, he could hear the unmistakable drone of one of _Normandy's _geth vocalizing. "Tali'Zorah dispatched the FENRIS utilizing improvised close-combat techniques with her omnitool."

"Wow," said a brown-haired human female standing with her back to Kal in front of a complex instrument panel. "Wanted to give it the personal touch, eh, boss?"

"Well," Tali said from somewhere to the left. "Sometimes that's the best way to make sure a mech stays down."

The geth, the one Kal now recognized as Legion with the big hole in its armor, turned in Tali's direction. "You indicated to Shepard-Commander that you had not adequately maintained your shell count."

"Okay, Legion, we're just hitting the highlights, remember?"

"Acknowledged."

Kal was about to announce his presence when the geth spoke again. "Vakarian-Garrus says you periodically have difficulty in this area. Is your heads-up display in need of adjustment? Your currently selected mode should include ammo count in the lower-right hand corner..."

"I know what Garrus thinks, thank you, Legion. Wait. Are you talking to him now?"

Another pause from the geth. "He says we should not answer that question. Correction, he now says the answer is 'no.'"

"Goddamnit, Garrus!" Tali shouted.

A voice with a smooth turian lilt drifted over the compartment speakers. "I'm just saying if you'd learn to use something other than a street sweeper you wouldn't have to resort to fixing bayonets every other time we go out..."

"Come down here and I'll show you how useful it can be."

"It's a bad idea to go up against a sniper with a shotgun, Tali."

"Don't you have calibrations or something to do, bosh'tet?" There was the _smack_ of a palm hitting a button followed by a loud click from the speakers. Tali walked slowly into view. Her lovely scarves were tattered and scorched from the firefight and she sported a fresh suit patch across her narrow abdomen. Kal shook his head and wondered if admiring a woman with field repairs on her suit made him some kind of weird fetishist.

"Legion," Tali said as she approached the geth. "We've discussed this. When the individual we just heard is scrounging for information about me or my activities, we're supposed to tell him what?"

Legion's head flaps rippled. "To place his fringed cranium up his rectal orifice, pointy end first."

"Exactly," Tali said.

Kal coughed and stepped into the engineering compartment. "Someone causing you trouble, ma'am?"

"Kal!" Tali said, smiling behind her mask. "What? No trouble. One of my shipmates thinks he's my big brother, that I can't take care of myself."

"He's wrong about that," Kal said. Both the geth and the human now faced him as well. The human wore a broad grin.

Tali waved him in. "Kal, I'd like you to meet Gabriella Daniels, propulsion engineer."

Gabby stepped forward and shook Kal's hand. "Pleased to meet you. Any friend of the Chief is a friend of ours!"

"Pleasure, ma'am," Kal said.

"And you've already met Legion," Tali said, watching her friends with cautious interest. So far, no other quarians and geth had met when weapon fire had not factored into the equation.

This time Kal did not offer his hand, instead only offering a respectful nod. "Yes ma'am."

Tali waited a moment and when no further attempt was made by either to interact, she decided it was best not to force it. She stepped forward and guided Kal aft toward the core. "You have to see this," she said. "When Shepard made me chief engineer, I almost soiled my suit..."

Gabby watched them go, then looked up at the geth. The quarian marine's cold response, as well as Legion's surprised her. _Everybody_ liked Legion now. She had to remind herself that wasn't always the case, especially with Tali. "Hey, uh... You two gonna be cool?"

"Creator Kal'Reegar is a trustworthy ally." Legion turned back to its panel. "However, we believe he still has misgivings about cooperation with the geth."

"Yeah. He doesn't know you like we do."

"Yes. His response is understandable and within parameters for established creator behavior."

"Don't worry," Gabby said. "He'll come around. They all will. Just takes time."

"Thank you," Legion said and sent an update of the encounter to Mobile Platform Two on its isolated channel. As usual, microseconds later, Platform Two's signal process responded with a simple acknowledgement that Legion's data was received. Without being able to share consensus with the collective, Legion's processes were left to contemplate the probability Gabriella-Daniels' statement was correct on their own.

* * *

Kal stared in wonder at the massive sphere which dominated the drive core compartment._ It could power a ship ten times the size of the _Normandy, he thought. The empty space is what amazed him more. He'd always heard human ships ran with small crews. If the _Normandy_ were ever commandeered by the Flotilla, lattice barracks would fill the decks, providing living space for hundreds. Now, as they talked, he heard something aboard ship he'd only heard while on the surface of empty planets decimated by the geth: the echo of his voice.

"He couldn't have made a better choice, ma'am," Kal said, and he meant it. His hands gripped the rail overlooking the core, next to Tali's.

"Do you know what happened to the _Giraf?"_ Tali asked.

"No ma'am. Shepard's still got the ship on communication blackout."

"I hope they made it back."

"Captain Carn's a good officer," Kal said. "I"m sure they got clear."

Tali turned around and leaned back against the railing, her arms folded across her chest. Kal tried to remain focused on the technological wonder before him instead of the organic one standing to his right. "So until we can get you back, I hear you're looking for a job," Tali asked.

"Yes ma'am. You hiring?"

"Well, I'll need references, of course. Do you know anyone here who will vouch for you?"

The way Tali's posture showed off her impressive curvature was distracting enough, but her relaxed, playful demeanor always Made Reegar's suit coolant routine kick up a notch. He could stare into her glowing eyes for days. Ever since they'd met on the _Neema, _again at Haestrom, even after her exile, he always found himself wondering what he would say to her if he ever got her alone. Now, a decorated veteran with dozens of campaigns and hundreds of battles to his name he found he could barely muster a complete sentence. "Just you, ma'am."

Tali laughed, a sound which to Kal played like music in ears deadened from enduring years of concussive blasts. "I'm not sure I'm your best advocate. You forget how well I know you." Her jibe was in jest and they both knew it. Tali didn't know many soldiers more honorable than Kal'Reegar... except maybe Commander Shepard. She started to walk back towards main engineering and waved him along with her. "If nothing else, you can keep me company. Tell me what's going on back at the fleet, with the Board and the Conclave."

By the time Tali had taken two steps, they were both running as the general quarters alarm reverberated throughout the ship. Kal stepped to the corner of the engineering compartment opposite from the geth and human to stay out of the way. Socializing would have to wait.

"Power indicates green," Legion said.

"Propulsion's green, standing by," Gabby said.

Tali shook her head. "Check it again. We've got a drain."

"Shit," the human muttered. "Number three's EMA pump's failed. Priming the backup. Legion, you got anything?"

"Negative, all circuits running at maximum."

"Then we got a physical failure. Backup pump registering one-hundred percent."

"We'll take care of it after the alert," Tali said and touched the button on her holo-display confirming to the cockpit that engineering was ready for action.

"Requesting power for maneuvering and kinetic barriers. Gabby said, glancing over at Legion's board. "Looks like we're about to be on the move."

"Look sharp," Tali said. And they waited. Then they waited some more.

"Goddamn it I hate when they do this," Gabby said.

Lacking a post to attend, Reegar tried to remember mentally his way back to the ship's armory. He didn't want to do it, but he surrendered his weapons at Shepard's request. No one aboard the ship, including the geth, were armed, and Shepard was captain so he handed them over. But he'd be damned if they were going into a battle situation without having a rifle handy, as useless as it might be.

EDI's synthesized voice echoed around the ship. "All sections stand by. Maintain readiness. Hangar crew and security detail report to hangar deck and prepare to recover incoming shuttle."

"What the hell?" Gabby asked. "A shuttle? Out here?" The geth voiced its confusion with a loud, protracted buzz.

"I don't know," Tali muttered and waited a few seconds for Shepard or someone from the cockpit to tell her what was going on. When they didn't, she hit the intercom to ask someone who might. "Incoming shuttle? Do you have a lock? Can you identify it?"

"Turian ," Garrus replied. "From the _Vellius._ No sign of the mothership, but they couldn't have gotten here on their own."

"What are they doing here? Who's on board?" The second she got no answer, instead of one outright denying knowledge, she knew Garrus was holding out on her. "Spill it, Garrus!"

Garrus cleared his throat. "it seems our friendly Council representative Enlea T'Vari is paying us another visit. She says she's got something the Commander and the geth need to see."

"The geth?" Tali's eyes burned a hole through the speaker grille from which Garrus spoke. "What does the Council want with geth? And how did they even know where we were?"

"Don't quote me on that," Garrus said hurredly. "I'm not sure you and I have been talking at all, now that I think about it..."

Tali began swearing in Khelish, words that even made Kal'Reegar blush behind his faceplate, and paced in front of her console. "Did Shepard call them? How long until they dock?"

"Less than five minutes," Garrus said.

"Legion, take over for me," Tali snapped and stomped toward the hatch. What she feared most, more than geth and quarian peace talks failing and turning into outright war, was interference from the Citadel. As far as she was concerned, the plight of her people was as much their fault as the geth. Whereas the machines were simply tying to defend themselves, the Council had deliberately kept the quarians on the verge of extinction since the geth rebellion.

"Now Tali," Garrus said. "Don't do anything foolish. Tali?" But it was too late and fell on only human ears and geth audio receptors as both quarians had already left the room.


	40. Welcome Aboard

Tali's feet clanked loudly across the deck as she stormed through the hatch to the main accessway overlooking the hangar. She paused briefly to look through the bay windows, and upon seeing only the _Normandy's_ Kodiak and the _Pollus Maskawa's_ shuttle, turned back around to stomp down the maintenance compartment stairs.

Reegar, following behind, had to stop short to keep from running into her. He turned and hurried down the stairs after. "What's wrong," he asked, "What's going on?"

Tali wanted to tell him, but there was just no time so she just shook her head as she descended. Ever since the Council representative came aboard the _Normandy _and first saw Legion, Tali had been counting the seconds until she would shove her perky blue nose where it wasn't wanted. Happily, they parted ways before that could happen. Had the attack at Dashta not occurred, she, Legion, Blue and Shepard would be on the _Rayya_ this moment working out a way for the Migrant Fleet to go home. Now, fate and even more rotten luck brought the Citadel agent back into the picture, and Tali was not going to stand for it.

_She has something for Shepard and the geth to see,_ Garrus' words rattled through her head like a malfunctioning coolant pump. What by the gods was the Enlea T'Vari doing back here, if not to try and enforce their decree? How could she have even known where the _Normandy_ was? Did Shepard invite her? After the attack, did he feel they needed help? Or did the geth call her?

When she opened the hatch to the hangar, she found the control compartment empty. Through its windows, the _Normandy's_ forward doors yawned into the blackness of space as it awaited their latest arrival. The lift was stalled on deck three. She began to pace.

Reegar watched her intently. "Talk to me, ma'am. I'm feeling a little lost here."

"A shuttle is about to dock," Tali said, "there's a Citadel agent on board. They know about our negotiations with the geth. We can't let afford to let the Council take this away from us. I won't let them."

Reegar straightened in his suit. "They're coming here? What do you need from me?"

She slowed then stopped, facing the windows once more. In the blackness, a pair of lights blinked into view. The shuttle was less than a minute away. Of all the disappointments she'd had in life, the disasters she'd faced on and off of the _Normandy, _her struggles being the daughter of Rael'Zorah, her exile, nothing hurt her as much as the idea of Shepard selling out the Fleet to the Citadel.

_But it doesn't make any sense,_ she thought. _More than anyone else, even the Admirals and the Conclave, Shepard's been doing everything he could to bring us together. He wants this as bad as you do. He'd never betray us like that._ H_e'd never betray _you. _How many times has he proven that? _Tali took a deep breath. _Be calm, now. Think it through._ _He's got his reasons, even if you don't know what they are. And showing up down here unannounced will only make things worse. _Her eyes fell to the control panel on the console in front of her as it operated under EDI's control. The border around the holo screen, along with all other other screens in the compartment glowed red.

_We're still at general quarters._ She shuddered. A_nd you're not at your station. Who's letting who down here, you selfish, stupid bosh'tet? _Those words echoed repeatedly through her head as she pelted full-tilt past the lift to the hatch leading back to the stairs in the maintenance well.

"What the- Ma'am?" Reegar turned as she sped past. _Left behind again,_ was the only thing that crossed his mind as he took off after her.

* * *

Enlea T'Vari and Captain Artuis shared no words as their shuttle approached the _Normandy. _T'vari worked her omnitool in silence, brow furrowed, eyes intent on the words and images that flashed across the display. Artuis simply leaned back in her chair and pondered what she would do when she met the renegade spectre on his own ship. Fleet Captain Lorian had been this exact position, and now he was confined to quarters somewhere on the Citadel. Word around fleet was he'd been relieved of duty pending court martial. Lorian was in custody, Shepard went free, and try as she might, no one would tell Artuis why_. _The sensor records and data recorders from _Vellius_ were confiscated and the crew ordered not to discuss any aspect of the battle at Sahrabarik. Perhaps, she wondered, that was the reason for Lorian's rapid expulsion. Maybe he kept asking questions.

_Go ahead and tell yourself that. That's not why Lorian is facing the fire, and you know it._ Artuis shut down that line of thought. Now was not the time for recrimination. She was minutes away from getting some answers... Where the mighty ship that so effortlessly destroyed the task force came from and why it attacked? Why the Council suddenly reversed its stance on capturing the _Normandy _after T'vari and Lorian went aboard? Then, after receiving orders to stand aside to let the _Normandy _be destroyed, Enlea T'Vari practically hijacked a shuttle to get back aboard her?

The real question, she though, was whether the answers would be less frightening than the questions.

* * *

Enlea examined the faces of Commander Shepard and his executive officer Miranda Lawson as the shuttle hatched opened into _Normandy's _hangar deck. When she left before, the crew said their goodbyes and wished her well. Salarian, turian, human, even the geth lined up to see her off. The ship's yeoman even hugged her. But what she remembered most was the Justicar, standing tall in her splendid crimson and gold ensemble. Samara didn't say a word, or even approach Enlea, but merely gazed upon her with regal approval. It was a moment unlike anything she'd experienced in a century of diplomatic duty. The disparate collection she found here should have been at each others' throats, but instead they were allies. More than that, they were _friends._

_What will the Justicar think of you now,_ she thought. The dour expressions of the pair of humans in front of her showed just how much their opinion of her had changed in the last day. Shepard in particular looked like he was struggling to maintain his composure, while Lawson stared at her with an icy glare.

Enlea took a step forward, but Artuis stepped in front and blocked her path, her hands locked behind her back. "Permission to come aboard?"

Shepard looked surprised. "Permission granted, Captain." As Artuis approached, he extended his hand and smiled slightly. "Forgive the lack of formality. Commander Shepard. Welcome aboard the _Normandy."__  
_

Artuis took the human's hand and gave it a firm shake. Ordinarily, forgoing ritual would have bothered her greatly, as would being greeted by the commander of a ship out of uniform. Unlike the female in her form-fitting, pristine black-and-white suit, Shepard wore only dark trousers and a black undershirt. His hair was matted in places, his face covered with short hairs that human males grew if left unattended. She gave no comment or any indication of disdain. "Colia Artuis, captain of the _Vellius,_" she said. She looked back toward the shuttle. "I believe you know Miss T'Vari?"

Shepard's smile faded. "Enlea. I believe you, uh, left something here."

Enlea lowered her head apologetically as she descended the ramp while Miranda's eyes followed her the entire time. The human female's hands had been behind her back, but she now brought them forward and clasped them in front of her waist, holding onto the Enlea's datapad. Captain Artuis had been correct. Once the _Vellius_ made its presence known, Shepard and his crew would quickly figure out how they were found. "That really does deserve an explanation..."

"I'd love to hear one," Shepard frowned. "You really put one over on us, didn't you? Gave it to Rehme so he'd give it to me. Loaded it up with intel on us so we'd plug it in. Are we still being tracked?"

Enlea was surprised how much Shepard's accusatory stare bothered her. "Yes. But the feed can only be decrypted by my omnitool. And I've stopped making updates on your position."

"How long ago?" Shepard rubbed his forehead and turned from the group to call the cockpit. "We need to move again. Joker, do you copy?"

"Updates to whom?" Miranda asked.

Enlea pointed to her datapad. "I think our first priority is to make sure that wherever you go, you're no longer followed. The datapad was only the delivery device. We've got some cleanup to do. And Captain Artuis, I strongly suggest that you return to your ship."

Atruis' eyes narrowed. As she suspected, Enlea did not protest her coming along because she needed cooperation to get to the _Normandy. _"Why?"

"For your own protection," Enlea told the turian. "And for that of your crew."

The turian's fringe spiked and her brow plates converged into a scowl. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Enlea turned to face Artuis. "It means, Captain, you should return to your ship and rejoin your fleet before you learn anything that truly puts you in danger."

* * *

"All green on my board," Gabby said and looked over her shoulder at Tali at the central engineering station. "So where are we now, ma'am?"

Tali sighed and punched up a sector scan scan on a secondary display. "Nowhere." There were no planets, no stations, no nearby ships other than the turian frigate_. _The Council representative and captain of the _Vellius _had only been aboard for a few minutes when Shepard gave the order to relocate to another system. The _Vellius _followed, as it had been apparently doing since _Normandy _left Sahrabarik, but did so now openly while maintaining a tight-beam connection to the SR-2. The sensor nets of the two ships could operate as one, exponentially increasing their detection power.

But other than the link to the turians, Shepard maintained the lockdown on all outgoing transmissions. Any news on the _Giraf_ or happenings in the fleet remained frustratingly out of reach, and she was still no closer to finding out what that damned asari was doing on board or why she was causing such a panic. All she could do was mind her panels and hope that the Commander would summon her soon. Fortunately, she did not have to wait long.

"Secure from general quarters," EDI said. "Navigation, propulsion and sensor sections maintain readiness. Department heads report to the briefing room. Additional personnel, Legion, Mobile Platform Two, please report to the briefing room."

Tali let out a sigh of relief. She thought back to the conference after their return from the center of the galaxy and the turmoil that followed. Hopefully, this one would have a happier ending, but in her heart she knew if the Citadel was getting involved, it would not. At least her fears about Shepard cutting her out proved to be unfounded. That she could even consider such a thing just reinforced how worried she was about the situation with the geth. Stress was obviously getting to her. She locked her station and sent the status feeds to her helmet display. "Call us if you need anything," she told Gabby. "OK, Legion, you ready for this?"

Legion locked its screens and turned to follow. "Acknowledged."

"I know I wasn't invited," said Kal'Reegar, who still waited patiently in the corner of the compartment. "But you know where to find me if you need some legs broken."

"Thanks," she said and grinned. "I hope it doesn't come to that. I'll let you know what we find out. You going to be okay here?"

"Gonna grab some shut-eye," Reeger said as he leaned against the wall and slid down next to a console.

"We have sleeping chambers," Tali said. "You're welcome to use one."

"No, ma'am, this will be fine. I'm out of the way, it's quiet, and no one is shooting at me. Couldn't ask for anything more."

"Okay then, I'll see you in a little bit." She smiled at him. "Good night, Kal."

"Good luck ma'am."

While waiting for the lift, Tali stared at the turian shuttle dangling from the rails in the hangar deck. "So do you think this is going to be good news or bad news?"

"We cannot predict with any reliable certainty," Legion said as it stood next to her. It followed through the lift doors when they opened. "While the geth do not welcome intervention by the Citadel Council, their influence throughout the galaxy is undeniable. Regardless of the desires of many to prevent their intervention, we judge it prudent to prepare for the inevitable."

Tali slumped against the elevator's wall. Exhaustion was taking its toll and she wondered if Reegar didn't have the right idea of just collapsing in an out-of-the-way corner of the ship. Or was she just coming around to the idea that Legion might be right? As isolated as it was, the Migrant Fleet was still affected every day by the Citadel and its rulings. Trade laws, economic regulations, traffic and travel rules didn't directly apply to the flotilla, but they certainly affected everyone with whom the fleet might want to conduct business. That alone had kept the quarians drifting amongst the unclaimed fringes of the galaxy, isolated from "civilized" space. Without trade, even a species with a homeworld would be locked out from joining galactic society. And the Citadel held all the keys.

When the elevator opened on CIC, Kelly pointed to port. "Hi Tali. Blue's waiting for you in the armory. She said it would better signify unity if you went in together."

Tali's gut clenched at the use of the word _she_ when referring to Platform Two. She glanced over at Legion, who looked back and forth between the women. She didn't know why it bothered her - after all, she'd strenuously protested the anthropomorphizing of Legion when it first came aboard, but now called it 'he' along with everyone else... happily, even. What was the difference? The geth watched her, like it was always prone to do when organics talked and it wasn't sure of its place in the conversation. She smiled at it warmly. _The difference is _he _earned it. _"Come on, Legion. Let's go see what Platform Two is up to. Thanks, Kelly."

When she and Legion entered the armory, they found Platform Two standing with its arms out at its side in front of Jacob's workbench. A pair of standard geth platforms hovered around it, one micro-fabricating patches for the dings and scratches in Platform Two's armor, while the second followed with a hand-held buffing tool. It turned its head to face the newcomers, and waved a hand at its wrist without moving its arm so as not to interrupt the work of its companions. "Hello, Tali, Legion."

"Platform Two," Tali said. She still could not bring herself to call it by its nickname, and its hyper-realistic quarian vocoder still sent shivers down her spine. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting a quick touch up." Blue's voice was full of synthetic cheer.

"Were you damaged?" Tali stepped closer and did a quick visual inspection. She didn't recall the blue geth taking barrier-penetrating hits. But with freshly applied polish, the its armor once again had the sheen it did when it first boarded the ship, a far cry from how it looked after the battle on Dashta.

"Only superficially, fortunately," the geth said. The pair of standard platforms concluded their work and stepped away, replaced their tools neatly on Jacob's workbench then headed for the hatch acting on some unheard order. Tali's mouth fell open as Blue did a turn in front of her and struck a pose like a model similar to the ones on the covers of the magazines Joker sometimes kept hidden under his console. "How do I look?" it asked.

Tali held her hands up and took a step back, her eyes clamped shut. "Okay, this has got to stop."

Blue's facial plates expanded and its stance changed to one suitable for casual conversation. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. What should be stopped?"

Tali waved her hands in frustration. "This. All of this. You- I... You are not quarian."

"Of course not," Blue said. "I am a geth mobile platform."

"Then why are you pretending to be one of us? The voice, the gestures. It's not natural. I mean... since when does a machine care how it looks?"

Blue clasped its hands together. "Organics judge others based on physical appearance. I wanted to look my best for the Council representative during our first formal encounter. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression." It looked Tali over head to toe, noting her dingy, stained scarves and wrap. "You have obviously been preoccupied with your duties. Perhaps you and Legion would like to take a moment to freshen up?"

"WHAT?"

Blue looked at Legion in confusion, then back to Tali. "Would you like to take a moment to clean up before we meet with Miss T'Vari? Legion in particular. I'm concerned about the impression he will make. Perhaps it would be best if we went in without him?"

Tali turned to _Normandy's _original geth with an exasperated gasp. Its central eye expanded and contracted as it stared back at her, its faceplates fluctuating in time to its harsh, mechanical voice. "Would you prefer if we did not accompany you?"

Tali cocked her head and sighed at the geth. She saw its the chipped paint, the scrapes and divots in its cowling, the worn edges of its face plates. Legion's entire body had been subjected to years of punishment: great falls, massive collisions and terrible impacts from hazards both natural and organic. Its conductive tubes were candy-striped from repeated tapings and patches, its joints and actuators stained from repeated lubricant leaks. Most distinctive of all, though, was the massive, ragged hole blown clear through its chest, partially replaced with the shoulder piece from a set of battered N7 armor. Compared to Blue's sleek, clean lines and spotless surfaces, Legion looked to most like a shambling, zombie geth back from the dead, searching for parts to cannibalize to rebuild itself. But not to the eyes of this particular quarian. Like the ships that made up the Migrant Fleet, Legion was a testament to machines in service well beyond their intended limits, patched and reworked, jury-rigged to function with whatever was on hand, no longer top of the line, but never to be forgotten or abandoned... Legion was proof of the old quarian adage that kept the Flotilla going for three centuries, "just because something is brand new, it didn't necessarily mean it's better."

Tali grabbed Legion's hand and led him through the hatch leading to the conference room. "No, we'll go on without you," she told Blue. "I think you missed a spot."

* * *

In the briefing room, Miranda's fingers danced across the virtual keypad at the tables' main console while Enlea looked over her shoulder. Now that she and EDI knew what to look for, they were finding pieces of Enlea's tracking program spread throughout dozens of _Normandy's_ subsystems. Separately they consisted of undetectable, miniscule routines that imitated and emulated existing code, but together built a small chain of data that fed seamlessly into _Normandy's _docking interfaces. So, even with the transponder spoofed or turned off, the ship was leaving a trail of digital breadcrumbs any time it passed through a relay or docked at a station.

"So how did you find these markers once they were generated?" Miranda asked. Her anger over being compromised gave way to admiration when she saw the elegance with which the tracking program had been engineered. It wasn't often that Cerberus found itself playing catch-up when it came to espionage. Miranda copied the last of the code into an isolated repository so it could be studied later. Unless the asari was a very good liar, every component of the program had been successfully removed.

Enlea leaned in and pulled up a holo panel and typed a few commands. "I've got search bots which comb both system and relay nav nets for the tracking token. Any time your ship interfaced with a relay or traffic control, it would show up here. As you can see, it stopped generating before the last jump."

"Interesting," Miranda said.

Commander Shepard paced back and forth on the other side of the table where Mordin, Garrus and Captain Artuis were seated. He did not share Miranda's curiosity about the security breach. "So that's taken care of. Good. Who are you working for?"

Enlea stood straight and flashed a nervous smile. "Um... You're welcome?"

Shepard stopped in his tracks and stared at the asari. He turned to face her and marched toward her around the table. "Give me something to thank you for. Someone just tried to have all of us killed, Miss T'vari, and right now you're the only suspect. But I'm grateful you took the bulls-eye off the back of my ship _after_ it happened."

Enlea found herself at a loss of words. During the short shuttle flight she wondered how she could reveal what she knew without betraying her kind to the one person who needed to know. After receiving her last order she knew she could no longer be a part of what was about to transpire. Standing this close to him, she could see his eyes were still bloodshot from smoke and ringed dark from exhaustion."It's... complicated, Commander."

"I'm not in the mood for complications," Shepard stood with his fists against the table. "I want to know what you know, and I want to know right now."

The asari exhaled deeply as she tried to come up with a simple answer. She reached out to the console to where Miranda had attached her omnitool. "May I?" she asked, and when she was granted control, she transferred her omnitool's feed to the main holo projector toward the table's far end. The room fell quiet as its occupants read the screen.

_Contact between quarians and geth must be prevented. Ensure the destruction of the _Normandy _by any means_ _necessary_.

"Well that's a bit extreme," Garrus said during the stunned silence. "Whatever happened to asking nicely?"

Enlea took a breath to begin what was sure to be a lengthy explanation when the briefing room hatch hissed open behind her. She turned to see the quarian engineer, Tali, flanked on her left by the scrap-laden geth named Legion, and on the right by a shiny blue model she'd never seen before. The young woman stopped short, evidently surprised to see the asari at the head of the table. Her eyes focused past Enlea to the words projected in giant letters near the far end of the table. They grew wide, glimmering brightly behind her opaque facemask as she read, then immediately narrowed to glowing slits as they locked back on Enlea.

Enlea didn't have to see her face to recognize the expression of abject hate and rage. Tali crouched and reached low on her left leg, producing a very lethal looking stiletto. Enlea backed instinctively away and found herself blocked by the table as the quarian leaped toward her, but that didn't scare her nearly as much as the hellish red light that poured from the cyclops eye of the hulking, half-destroyed machine following immediately behind.

* * *

_**A/N: So my fic turned 40. For those of you keeping score at home, I am finally past the point where I had posted the five chapter long summary back in March when I thought I wasn't going to finish this. So, if you've been thwarted by posting comments because you had done so on a deleted chapter, rejoice! You are now free to move about the cabin. Thanks for reading!**_


	41. The Messenger

_Contact between quarians and geth must be prevented. Ensure the destruction of the _Normandy _by any means_ _necessary_.

"Well that's a bit extreme," Garrus said during the stunned silence. "Whatever happened to asking nicely?"

Enlea inhaled to begin what was sure to be a lengthy explanation when the briefing room hatch hissed open behind her. She turned to see the quarian engineer, Tali, flanked on her left by the scrap-laden geth named Legion and on the right by a shiny blue model she'd never seen before. The young quarian stopped short, evidently surprised to see the asari at the head of the table. Her eyes focused past Enlea to the words projected in giant letters near the far end of the table. They grew wide, then immediately narrowed to glowing slits as they locked back on the asari.

Enlea didn't have to see Tali's face to recognize the expression of abject hate and rage. Tali could no longer make out the words on the projection behind the asari for the tears that flooded her eyes. She'd long suspected the Council would try to interfere if they learned the geth were trying to make peace, but to deny her people their future? To destroy her ship and her family at same time? She'd worn a knife on her ankle for years, and used it many, many times; as a screw driver, a pry bar, the hilt as a hammer, the blade to cut insulation or packaging for replacement parts. Rarely was it used for anything else as phasic slugs and kinetic barriers rendered a knife almost useless in battle. Friends and detractors alike teased her mercilessly about trying to project an image of rugged toughness by sporting what was essentially a multi-tool on her ankle. But she was never happier to feel its weight in the palm of her hand as she lunged toward Enlea, her blade aimed squarely at the center of her chest.

It never connected. The panorama of her faceplate filled with black as Shepard grabbed her wrist and shoved her blade down, at the same time wrenching her over his hip. Her momentum carried her around and she flipped over flat on her back with Shepard laying flat one her chest, her left hand pinned with the knife above her head.

"Legion, don't!" came Miranda's shout, but the geth bypassed both the Cerberus operative and Shepard and now lifted Enlea into the air by her neck, its eye glowing hellish red. The asari shimmered with energy as her hands clawed at the geth's tightening grip. Her boots kicked against its legs for leverage and sparks erupted from Legion's head as Enlea pounded it with her fist, sending biotic pulses through its metal surface as Miranda tried in vain to pull its hand open. Miranda thought briefly about sending her own charge into Legion to overload its circuitry, something she'd done to countless other mechs. But this wasn't just some random LOKI gone rampant.

Garrus vaulted onto the conference table and rushed behind Enlea to support her weight with one arm while trying to break Legion's grip with his free hand. Mordin muttered under his breath as he brought his omnitool up. With no weapons, options were limited. But he couldn't let the geth terminate their only solid lead to who was working against them.

For a split second, Tali was nose to nose with Shepard. In his eyes she saw shock, anger, and confusion. Her own eyes conveyed a sorrow her voice never could as she realized what she had almost done. She let the knife fall from her hand.

"Legion stop!" Shepard pushed himself up and forced his way into the circle surrounding Legion. "Let her go!"

Legion turned its eye on Shepard. It turned back to its normal blue-white color, but the Council representative still dangled in the air from its hand. Legion focused behind the Shepard-Commander where Tali'Zorah vas Normandy now stood.

"Let her go," Tali pleaded, her hands up in the air, as if the example might encourage the rampaging geth to comply. "Legion, don't hurt her!"

Legion's camera-eye shifted back to Shepard. It released Enlea from his grip and she fell back into Garrus' arms as he knelt on the table and he lowered her to the floor. She spun about and braced herself against it and coughed as her oxygen-starved lungs struggled to recover. The geth did not move, staying within easy reach of the asari.

Captain Artuis crouched at her side of the table, cursing her decision to agree to come aboard unarmed. She had no love for Enlea T'Vari, but if they killed the asari there was no reason for them not to kill the only other witness. Fortunately, the geth and quarian still seemed to respond to Shepard's commands. She then noticed she was not the only non-combatant. While the rest of Shepard's people attempted some sort of intervention, a blue geth platform stood in the entryway across from her, neither attacking the asari with its brethren, or retreating. Like her, it seemed to be waiting to see what would happen next. The turian named Vakarian slid off the table, whoalong with the human female and salarian doctor helped Enlea stay on her feet while she caught her breath.

"Are you all right," Shepard asked Tali once he was sure Legion was taking no further action.

"I'm okay," Tali said. There was genuine concern in Shepard's voice, which reassured her. But from the look on his face, she knew it wasn't going to end with that. If she were in his position, she might have actually been compelled to strike her.

Shepard turned to the geth. "Legion?"

"Affirmative, Shepard-Commander. We are undamaged."

Enlea looked over her shoulder, tears streaming from her eyes, one hand massaging her throat. Dark blue bruises were already forming where Legion had attempted to crush her windpipe seconds before. "Are _they _all right?"

Shepard blinked. "They're fine. Thank you for asking."

"I don't believe this!" Enlea stared at Shepard, mouth agape. "I came here to help you, two of your crew assault me, and you want to know if _they_ are all right?"

Shepard crossed his arms. "Let me explain to you how things work on this ship. Counting your last visit, we've known each other a grand total of three hours. I spend more time than that with them, _under fire_, every week. Legion's been with me for about four months. Tali, three years_._ Do the math."

Tali clasped her fingers in front of her. The other members of the squad gathered around T'Vari as Shepard spoke. All of them, from the ones she'd only known for a relatively short time like Mordin and Miranda, to Garrus, whom was almost as important to her as the Commander, watched the Council dignitary with eyes that held no remorse of sympathy. And Legion, who had charged forward with the same murderous intent as Tali, looked about his organic counterparts as she did, registering the same reaction.

Shepard continued. "I tell you something else. If I walked in when they did and saw what was up on the screen, I would have reacted the same way. Only they wouldn't have been able to talk me down. Make no mistake, Miss T'Vari. I'm not on your side. And until you prove otherwise, you're not on ours."

Enlea turned back to the table and closed her eyes. _It was a mistake to come here,_ she thought. But what could she do now? Could she talk her way back to the shuttle? Would Captain Artuis try to stop her, after she worked so hard to get here? Would the _Normandy_ let them fly away, or blow them to dust in the middle of deep space where the wreckage would never be found? She shifted her palms, leaving cloudy imprints on the table that evaporated quickly in the cool air. When opened her eyes, Shepard was standing next to her, watching.

"That doesn't mean we won't listen," Shepard told her. "You obviously went through great trouble to be here. And I'm sorry you didn't get the greeting you were expecting. But after Dashta, after everything that's happened, we're running a little short on trust. Remember, you have the advantage. You know exactly where we stand. We can't say the same about you."

Enlea studied the human. His species was notorious for quick changes in attitude, but Shepard did it so fast she felt her already sore neck might twist off. But he was right. In spite of overwhelming opposition from an obstinate turian fleet commander, the Council, even the threat of arrest under the guns of a Citadel heavy cruiser, Shepard delivered his message about the reapers. The Alliance didn't want him to do it, and certainly Cerberus had to disapprove, but Shepard did it anyway.

She looked up to the damning marquee still displayed on the briefing room's holo display, condemning the _Normandy_ and its crew to death. She then looked to Artuis who from her posture made it clear was not going to get involved. Enlea thought back to Erinle, when she had been ordered not to interfere and she followed the instruction, but the turian captain refused to stand by and watch the _Normandy_ be destroyed. Was it was blind luck, intuition or something more on the turian's part? Regardless, Artuis had already cast her lot with Shepard.

With a sigh, Enlea reached out to the control console and brought up the interface linking the table's projector with her omnitool. She entered an encryption key, and the single message about destroying the _Normandy_ vanished. Replacing it, a cascade of data that streamed down in front of everyone in the room. When it stretched floor to ceiling, a second window resolved in the air next to it, then another. Thousands of documents and messages, organized in folders by subject, filled each pane.

Mordin stiffened. "STG correspondence. Intelligence estimates. Recognize headers, senders, recipients. Highly classified."

"And those are C-Sec operational orders," Garrus pointed to the center display in disbelief. "From Executor's office itself."

Enlea wrapped her arms around her torso. "He really should screen his subordinates more carefully."

"And fleet communiques," Artuis interjected. Apparently, she didn't have to worry about _Vellius'_ message archive being lost forever after all, as her own ship's communications were neatly contained in their own folder, along with those from around the entire Citadel fleet.

Miranda scanned the data scrolling before them. She sounded more impressed than angered. "Alliance as well... and Cerberus. Interesting."

"What?" Shepard asked, standing between her and Enlea.

Miranda pointed to a name, one of hundreds on the screen. "Roger Ashton. Traffic dispatcher on Arcturus station. I always had my suspicions that he was a double... I just didn't know for whom."

"We still don't." Shepard's mouth turned into a thin line. The amount of information in this one omnitool made him shudder. Outside of Cerberus, there was only one other entity in the galaxy who would have such a diverse collection of intelligence. An uneasy burn settled in his stomach. _The Shadow Broker. _He was about to voice his opinion when he saw it. He checked himself and inspected the screens once again. There was a telling gap in the archive before them. "Notice anything missing?"

Enlea gave a slight smile and cast down her eyes.

"There's nothing on the asari," Miranda said.

Garrus looked over the list, disappointed that he had not noticed that himself. "Evidently they don't spy on their own kind."

"That, or she's filtered the list to hide anything that might compromise her people," Miranda said. "Either way, I'd say it's pretty obvious she's working for the asari government."

Mordin sniffed. "Unlikely. Asari legislative body communal in nature, highly decentralized. Open, transparent, democratic. Could not support covert intelligence arm, even if inclined to do so. Too free with words and thoughts, ability to keep secrets limited. Dependence on salarians for intelligence gathering well documented."

Shepard crossed his arms as he turned to Enlea. "Yet here we stand with a treasure trove of secrets before us. Enough with the theatrics. I'm not going to guess. Who do you work for?"

Enlea inhaled deeply. "Commander, you have to understand what I'm about to tell you, no one outside of the asari knows. It's difficult to even know where to begin. Professor Solus is correct. The Asari Republics would never support these efforts. As a whole, discussion and diplomacy are preferred. But over the millennia, some recognized that in spite of our open nature and willingness to cooperate with other species that we could not count on them to reciprocate.

"And so was borne the idea that while we would openly maintain a leadership role in brokering peace through diplomacy throughout the galaxy, we should commit resources to maintaining the balance so that no species would ever have to fear annihilation at the hands of another. So we... keep tabs on the activities of our neighbors, help them make the correct decisions if their path is unclear. Discourage those, discretely, who chose to take the wrong path. And in those rare cases when someone takes a course of action that might cause irreversible harm, prevent it." Enlea cleared her throat. "By any means necessary."

"So, what, you're part of some kind of secret police force?" Garrus asked. "Saving the galaxy from itself?"

Enlea gave a half smile. "Something like that."

Garrus did not look convinced. "And who these paragons of civic duty answer to?"

A serene expression swept across Enlea's face. "The wisest, most respected minds in our society, with untold centuries of collective experience to guide them."

While the _Normandy _crew bristled at that last addendum, Captain Artuis was apoplectic. "Commander Shepard, we need to report this to C-Sec _immediately."_

Shepard held up a hand to the turian, his eyes locked on the asari. But before he could get a word out, he was interrupted by a voice that so far had yet to be heard.

"Why would you want to prevent us from communicating with our creators?" asked Blue in a perfect quarian accent, its tone one of utter confusion.

Enlea turned around at the unexpected sound to see Legion glaring at her. She stepped aside to try and find the source of the question and saw the smaller, highly polished blue platform standing in the door behind Tali. "Because we believe your creators will try to subjugate you at the first opportunity."

The face plates on both geth widened to their maximum configurations, as did Tali's eyes behind her mask. _"What?_ No. That's not- that's insane!" She pushed her way past Legion and Enlea to the table's console and scrolled through the messages on the screens, then opened a search window. The results came back empty, and she spoke so quickly her words almost ran together. "There's nothing from the Flotilla in your database! My people want peace! The Conclave is going to vote on it. Admiral Gerrel has even changed his mind! They were waiting to take us home, you know this!"

Shepard put his hands on her shoulders, but Tali pulled away. "Legion, Blue. This is a trick. I don't know what she's up to, but don't listen to her. Please, I beg you!"

"Commander Shepard," Blue said as it clasped its hands together in front of it. "I understand the need to maintain operational security, but I need to contact my people so we may form an opinion on this matter. I would also very much like to see any proof our guest has that back up her assertion that the quarians' intentions are hostile. Now would be an excellent time."

Enlea winced. "I'm afraid I can't provide any right now."

The way Tali clenched her fists made Shepard note her knife was back on her ankle, but he only watched as the quarian got nose to nose with the asari. As the blue alien was a full head taller, Tali had to stand on her toes and tilt her head back, but it was enough to make Enlea back against the table again. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" Tali's finger was centimeters away from her blue face. "You have no proof, you have no cause! Why are you doing this? Tell me!" Like a whip, Tali's hand smacked across Enlea's right cheek. "Tell me, bosh'tet!"

Shepard jumped forward and grabbed Tali by her arms, pulled her back and forced her around to face Garrus. "Okay, okay," he cooed. He nodded towards the hatch. Garrus clasped his talons on her shoulders and guided her away, her screamed quarian curses turning to sobs as he led her from the room.

Legion watched the pair head for the hatch and looked at Shepard.

"Yeah, go," he told the geth, who walked quietly after them. Blue followed and the hatch sealed behind them. He turned to Enlea, who still leaned against the table and soothed her burning cheek with her hand. "I should have anticipated how personal this was to her."

"Personal?" echoed Shepard. "What, like having someone show up and single-handedly doom your entire species to a slow death in space kind of 'personal?'" He waved a hand at the data screens behind her. "Or finding out your ship and entire crew fall into the category of _any means necessary_ 'personal?' You'd better start giving me some straight answers, or you're going to find out how hard _I_ can hit! You're telling me you're willing to destroy my ship and kill everyone on board to disrupt peace negotiations for a three-hundred year old war, and you don't have any proof. How the hell do you expect us to react?"

"That's right, Commander," Enlea folded her arms in front of her, a dark blue patch spreading on her cheek to match her neck. "I don't have any proof. Only orders. My area of expertise is the Citadel, and I was dispatched by the Council to aid Captain Lorian in detaining you. When my superiors learned of the negotiations, and that you had a geth aboard after every last one of them in the galaxy had disappeared, they ordered me to monitor you."

Miranda scowled. "So how did you go from monitoring to cold blooded murder?"

"I didn't, did I?" Enlea fixed Miranda with a cold stare as she stood and turned back towards the holo projections. "No. I came to warn you instead."

Shepard stepped next to Enlea. "Why help us now?"

Enlea half laughed, half cried, her tone now manic. "Are you kidding? I mean, forget _Normandy's Hope, _and the krogan and the colonists and batarian in the worst hellhole in the known universe singing your praises. I get it. You and your crew are heroes. As if you didn't prove it again at Sahrabarik. You saved my life there too, by the way, I was on the _Selelucia. _I never thanked you, did I? Add that to the list. But forget all that. That's all insignificant next to what I saw in this very room two days ago."

Enlea looked over at Captain Artuis, who had not moved a centimeter since her question had been ignored and still wore the same fierce expression of disgust on her face. "You weren't at that briefing, were you? Probably above your pay grade." Enlea touched a few keys, and Artuis' jumped as her omnitool resolved around her arm. Under Enlea's control it showed a picture of the giant squid-shaped ship commanded by Saren Arterius bearing down on the Citadel. "Fascinating material. I hope you don't mind not sleeping again, ever, after you read it."

The asari now had tears in her eyes as she turned back to Shepard. "You killed one of them, Commander. You figured out what they were, what they were up to, and you stopped all of them from coming through at Citadel. If they're coming back, I think you and your crew need to be leading our defenses against them."

Enlea ran her hands over her ridged scalp as if trying to keep her brain from exploding. "And I told them all of this. I sent them the Professor's report, told them everything I learned, I begged and pleaded for hours on end." She reached down and touched a key. _Ensure the destruction of the _Normandy _by any means necessary_ reappeared across the screens. "This was the answer I got." She took an uneasy step toward an empty chair and sat. "Could I have a glass of water, please?"

Shepard walked to the dispenser and poured the diplomat-turned-spy a cup while Mordin, Artuis and Miranda stared in silence. Enlea took the cup in a shaking hand and smiled as she raised it as in a toast. "My hero. Ha ha." She sighed heavily and drank. "It's a shame this isn't Serrice ice brandy but beggars can't be choosers..."

"Enlea," Shepard leaned against the table next to her. "We appreciate what you've done. But I need to know one thing."

"Just one?" Enlea let out another humorless laugh.

Shepard leaned in close so she had to look him in the eye. "Were you or your superiors behind the attack at Dashta?"

Enlea stopped drinking and her frenzied, frazzled demeanor vanished. "No. I swear to you. I- we didn't even get there until after the attack started."

"You were there?" Miranda asked.

"We were," Artuis said. Everyone turned to face her. "Monitoring from a safe distance. But T'Vari is telling the truth. The battle was already underway by the time we caught up with you."

Enlea took another swig of her water as if it were something strongly alcoholic. "As impressive as my homing routines were, they can't predict the future. We were behind you by at least an hour. But I think you should know, that's the first time I started to wonder."

"Wonder what?" Shepard asked.

"If I was doing the right thing. I reported the _Normandy_ was under attack. I was expressly ordered not to interfere."

Shepard looked at the turian captian, who nodded in agreement. "That's too bad, we could have used the help. We were ambushed out in the open."

"I know," Enlea bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I hadn't yet come to my senses. For what it's worth, there was someone aboard the _Vellius_ who did take action." She pointed toward Artuis, who looked like she wished she were somewhere else.

"You destroyed the jammer," Miranda said to Artuis. She looked at Shepard. "EDI said she detected inbound missiles, but couldn't follow the track back to the shooter."

Enlea waved at her omnitool. "My logs will corroborate it. It's all in there. They're yours. Take them. All of them."

Shepard gave Miranda a nod, and she picked up the omnitool, then stopped. "We're not going to have any trouble if we interface with this?"

"Oh, no!" Enlea sat up straight. "Definitely not. All connectivity has been severed, save for the link to your projector." When that got her a dull stare from both the humans she smiled once more. "Believe me, I have as much a vested interest in avoiding capture as you now. I think this little chat has rendered my confidentiality agreement null and void. I've probably blown my security clearance at the Citadel as well."

Miranda held the asari's omnitool up in front of her. "Commander, I'd like to take this down to my workstation for analysis."

"Right," Shepard said. "Miss T'Vari, would you mind assisting her?"

The asari nodded and stood. "I'd be happy to."

"Mordin, do me a favor and show our guests to CIC. Then you can get back to work."

"Of course." Since the data displays were no longer visible, Mordin had nothing to keep him further occupied anyway. "Thank you, Commander. Ladies, follow me, please."

The two women followed Mordin through the hatch. Artuis trailed the pack, and Shepard moved to intercept. "Captain, if I can have a moment."

The white-faced turian stopped with her hands behind her back. "Commander?"

"I just wanted to say thank you, for stepping in back there. And at Dashta."

Artuis stared at the human, who looked even more disheveled now than when he greeted her on the hanger deck. She didn't know what to expect of the legendary Commander Shepard, and before Sahrabarik only knew of his exploits, good or bad, from news vids and out-of-date intelligence reports. But seeing how he handled the situation with T'Vari, how he stood up for his crew and how they responded to him, she had no doubts she had made the right choice in coming. "It was my pleasure, Commander."

Shepard smiled. "As soon as things quiet down, I'd love to talk more."

"I'd like that," Artuis replied. "In the mean time, request permission to return to the _Vellius._ My XO is probably shredding gouges in the deck with her pacing."

That made Shepard laugh, and the stoic turian smiled as well. "It would be an honor escort you down to the hangar as soon as I'm done here."

"Thank you, Commander," Artuis said, and followed Mordin and Enlea through the hatch.

When it closed, Shepard looked over at his own XO. "You buy any of that?"

Miranda shook her head. "I don't know. Enlea sounds convincing. She certainly believes it. We'll know better when we have a look at her omni. But it doesn't make sense."

"What?" Shepard sometimes resented the way Miranda made him guess.

"That the asari are doing this to protect the geth."

"Yeah, I know. That's pretty weak. I've never heard of any asari caring about either the quarians or geth. You know the worst thing?"

"What?" Miranda wasn't used to having to guess. Ordinarily, she knew.

"We're still no closer to finding out who sold us out at Dashta." Shepard rubbed his forehead. "God, and now Tali's all fired up."

"You should go talk her. She probably feels awful about what happened."

Shepard nudged Miranda's shoulder. "Look at you being all caring. Maybe you should go instead. You know, sis it up a little."

Miranda sighed and stood. The constructive part of the meeting was clearly over. Sometimes Miranda wondered if her eyes were suffering permanent damage because of Shepard's tendency to make them roll as much as he did, but he was still yakking away as he followed her into CIC.

"You two could talk about boys, do each others' hair. I mean, if she has any under there..."

Miranda was relieved to see Mordin and the two visitors waiting by the elevator. Now Shepard would be Artuis' problem.

"Commander..." Kelly called out. "There is- You have a new message at..." The yeoman's words faded as her throat clenched tight and tears streamed down her cheeks. Shepard stopped in his tracks, a goofy grin still on his face that fell as he walked toward her. Kelly took a deep breath and steadied herself, focusing on her panel. Her voice was almost free of the previous anguish. "At your terminal."

Shepard watched as Kelly shook from trying to maintain her composure. During _Normandy's_ egress from Dashta, Garrus commented that surviving the fight on the docks and the boarding action without losing anyone was nothing short of miraculous. The only problem was, he didn't believe in miracles. He reached out around her to to the comm panel and pulled up his mailbox on her screen and read the single message, timestamped ten minutes before when he was still in the conference room.

_From: Karin Chakwas_  
_Subject: Crew member Jack (Last Name N/A), SR2-EKA-0037, Time of Death, 18:10:25_  
_Commander, I regret to inform you that Jack died of her wounds. Please find attached my full report... _

Shepard put his hand on Kelly's shoulder, and she sobbed once more. "Go on without me," Shepard murmured. "Miranda, please escort Captain Artuis to the hangar deck."

"Aye, sir," Miranda said and summoned the elevator. The two alien women watched as the yeoman buried her head in the Commander's chest, and he held her close and whispered things they could not hear. Around the CIC, the other human crew watched with sad expressions and talked quietly amongst themselves. Miranda pulled up her datapad and sighed when she saw the notification. "I'll enter it into it into the log, Commander, and process her through."

Shepard only waved, and the elevator arrived with a musical _ding_ and Enlea, Artuis and Miranda stepped in. Miranda keyed the hangar deck, then went back to work scanning her datapad.

"I hate to pry," Enlea said, "but is something wrong?"

"One of our crew. A casualty at Dashta. She didn't make it."

"Oh," Enlea said. Artuis bowed her head respectfully, but it didn't seem to matter to the lift's sole human passenger who continued pecking at her datapad as if she were filing her taxes. Enlea felt like she had had to say something more. "I'm sorry."

Miranda shrugged. "It's a miracle we only lost one."

* * *

Enlea looked into Miranda's spacious quarters with amazement. She had spent time on many different warships, and the XO was usually lucky to have private quarters the size of the room's foyer, let alone an entire suite. In fact, her office at the Citadel wasn't nearly as nice. She halted, though, along with Miranda in the door.

"I'm sorry," Miranda said, holding her datapad up, "I have ship's business to attend to. I'll just need a minute."

"Oh, of course," Enlea said, and tried to laugh without sounding awkward. It didn't work. "Paperwork, I know how that goes."

"We have a variety of refreshments in the galley. I'll have EDI call for you when I'm ready. It won't take long." Miranda watched Enlea turn the corner to the galley and shut the door behind her. She walked to her office chair and sat, placing her data pad on the desk in front of her before bringing her main screen to life with a wave of her hand. Before it had even finished resolving, she was pulling up pages with movements so practiced she could do it with her eyes closed. Finding and opening the crew roster was a painful fifteen to thirty second trial for Shepard even when she was around to assist, but for Miranda it only took only two.

She touched a square from the page of portraits without having to look as she scanned ship's status in the sidebar. The repairs to the loft were complete and all stations were reporting ready. When she turned back to the roster page, a pale, bald, tattooed visage sneered back at her, partially obscured by a giant middle finger.

It wasn't that Miranda tried to find the most unappealing picture of the ex-con, it's just that every picture anyone tried to take of her ended up like this. Even when Commander Shepard had taken the crew on an all-night bender on Illium, Jack somehow knew when a camera was pointed in her direction and reacted accordingly, either making an obscene gesture or slipping down the belt straps she called a shirt to give the photographer "something worth taking a picture of."

Jack's roster picture was the same one Miranda pulled up before the crew disembarked at Dashta. She shook her head and sighed. Subject Zero deserved a better valediction in the data banks of Cerberus than the picture they had on file.

She waved open another screen and pulled up _Normandy's _security archives. She knew better than to pull up the feed from the maintenance sublevel where Jack secluded herself, because Jack's supernatural ability with cameras was not limited to hand-held models. Instead she focused on the crew areas of the ship where she was more likely to be off guard. Hangar deck, armory, mess hall, certainly not the CIC, anywhere Jack had been tracked on the ship. But as hard as Miranda looked, none provided anything to work with.

Miranda checked the clock. Enlea had already been waiting close to four minutes. That was more time than she had ever spent on anyone else's file to be sure. Jack would have to be remembered in death how she was in life. She closed all the security camera feeds, but stopped on the last one, which didn't seem to show anything. It was of the portside lounge, many months ago before Kasumi made it her home. The frame almost seemed empty, until she caught movement in the corner of the window. Jack sat with one leg up on the sill, her back against the frame. In the distance outside the viewport a nebulae burned with orange and red fire, but Jack wasn't looking at it. She was focused on something in front of the ship, outside of the view of the camera. But at least that provided a three-quarter profile of the girl where she didn't look like she was going to rip out the throat of the photographer with her teeth.

Miranda drew a box around Jack's head in the picture and dragged it onto her roster sheet. That done, she reached up to save. The picture was now almost life sized, and quite clear even enlarged as it was. Instead of furrowed into a scowl, Jack's brow was smooth. Instead of in a perpetual squint, her soft, brown eyes looked serenely into the distance, and she wore a gentle smile on her face that Miranda never thought possible. It was the first time she'd ever seen Jack at peace.

Miranda closed the file as well as any other sensitive screens that Enlea would not need to see. Then with great precision she slid her datapad to the side of the desk and squared it lined up neatly with the desk corner. Her throat and chest tightened, her vision blurred with tears and her nose flooded with mucous. She clenched her fist tightly and held it to her lips and forced herself to take several deep breaths.

Wiping her eyes, she sniffed loudly and cleared her throat as she sat back in her chair. "EDI," she called into the air. "Would you please tell Miss T'Vari I'm ready to see her now?"


	42. There was a Hole

In the _Normandy's_ armory, two geth platforms and a turian watched in silence as a quarian paced angrily back and forth along the aisle that ran through the middle of the room. "I've told Shepard from the start that the asari would do everything in their power to interfere with the negotiations. So what does he do? He invites one on board so she can wreck things in person!"

Garrus sat atop the starboard workbench with his legs dangling over the edge. While he kept his focus on Tali, he kept Legion in his periphery at all times. Tali's assaults on Enlea didn't catch him completely off guard, but the memory of Legion holding the struggling emissary in the air by her neck made his skin prickle. It was totally unexpected beahvior from the ordinarily logical, unfeeling machine, and as far as he could tell the entire fracas was unplanned so it wasn't acting on orders from Tali. Whatever spurred the geth to attack, at least it had been responsive enough to listen to Shepard and stop. But would that always be the case?

Legion had discovered the crates brought to the armory by the geth containing parts for repairs after the failed boarding action on the _Normandy._ It opened the first one and examined its contents, periodically looking at Tali as she paced. Garrus cleared his throat. "I thought it was the Council you were worried about."

Tali whirled around and stomped over to stand in front of him. "Council, asari, _turian,_ it doesn't matter who! The bottom line is that it's happening at all! I'm not going to let it. We're too close!"

Just as with Enlea, Tali's finger was centimeters away from his nose. Garrus turned the scarred half of his face toward her and tapped it with a talon. "If you're going to hit me, aim for the right side. I don't want you to leave a mark."

Tali clenched her hand into a fist. "Oh, I should. I really should." If there was anything more embarrassing than losing control and jumping Shepard's guest in the briefing room, _twice_, it was being escorted out by Garrus, as usual acting as Shepard's unflappable babysitter. The way he calmly stared at her made the urge to punch him in the face even stronger, but the look in his eye told her he knew she wasn't going to do it, even before she did. She opened her hand and let it fall to her side, then flung herself about to lean against the table where Garrus sat. "Sometimes I really... fucking hate you, you ...fucked, fucking... bosh'tet."

Garrus' eyes widened he burst into laughter at the sudden attempt for Tali to talk like a badass. "That was _pathetic._ Have you considered taking lessons from Jack or Zaeed?"

"Doesn't Shepard need you in the briefing room?"

"Only if Miranda decides to have a go at Enlea, too. He'll call me if he needs me. Until then, you're stuck with me."

"Fine. Just shut up then. I need to think." Tali started pacing again.

Garrus held his hands up and looked again at the two geth across from him. Blue's head swiveled back and forth as it tracked Tali, but Legion seemed to lose interest as it rummaged through the geth storage containers. "How are you holding up, Legion?"

Legion turned a spare shoulder actuator around in its hands and scanned it with its omitool before placing it on the workbench with a growing collection of other small parts. It did not answer, which made Garrus even more uncomfortable. Ordinarily, he could at least count on an acknowledgement that he was heard, even if the reply was the infamous _no data available._

Blue spoke up. "I am also concerned about Legion's stability."

Tali paused long enough to give the blue geth a dirty look. "Legion's doing just fine. At least I know which side he's on."

"That's not fair, Tali. We're both on your side."

With her hands clutching her head, Tali turned to face the geth. "Would you _please_ stop talking like that? You. Are not. Quarian."

"Come on, Tali," Garrus said. "She's just trying to help."

_"She?"_

"Oh, let's not go through this again..."

As if a switch had been thrown, Blue's fluid, lifelike gestures ceased, replaced with precise, purposeful stillness. When it spoke once more, it resumed the dull, synthesized monotone the organics had become accustomed to with Legion. "Creator-Tali'Zorah. We do not wish to incite conflict amongst the _Normandy_ collective. We have suspended diplomatic protocol routines. Is this more to your liking?"

Tali breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes. Thank you."

Blue's head flaps expanded and contracted. "The geth collective remains committed to peaceful reconciliation with the Creators. T'vari-Enela's revelation of asari interference is presently unfounded, but given the severity of the accusation and the risk taken to expose it, is cause for concern and must be investigated. If the Creators are planning no hostile action, then the potential for asari aggression must be evaluated."

She wasn't sure if she had just had enough time to calm down after the incident in the briefing room or if it was hearing the geth talk like a geth once more, but Tali felt much calmer now. "I agree. But how can we find out? Commander Shepard has locked down all the transmitters on the ship."

Blue's aperture narrowed. "We have dispatched Mobile Platform Three to retrieve this information."

Garrus slid off the workbench. "How?" Garrus tried to look Blue in its eye. "How did you get around the lockdown?"

"We have been in continuous contact with Mobile Platform Three since our arrival at Xe Cha to facilitate the transfer of supplies and sharing of sensor information. This was done with the approval of Shepard-Commander."

Legion looked over its shoulder at the organics. "Presumably, Mobile Platform Two is referring to the MV_ Pollus Maskawa._ The ship itself is a mobile platform for geth."

"Mobile Platform One is correct. Mobile Platform Three is not subject to Shepard-Commander's restrictions."

"Shepard's not going to like this," Garrus said.

Tali put her hand on Blue's shoulder, her eyes wide with excitement. "Can you have them transmit a message to the Admiralty Board? Tell them that we're okay and you're still willing to talk?"

"We cannot for three reasons," Blue said. "First, Mobile Platform Three is now out of reception range. Second, this would be counter to the directive given by Shepard-Commander that no faction be contacted until the source of the security breach at Dashta can be identified. Third, before we initiate further contact with the Creator-Admirals, we must know if the asari are telling the truth."

Tali turned away in disgust. "It's not us. It's the asari. They're up to something."

"Creator-Tali'Zorah. We need to be sure."

Garrus ground his teeth together and pulled up his omnitool. He hated giving the Commander bad news. "You really should have cleared this with Shepard, Blue. This is going to-" He read the subject line of the only new message in his queue.

Tali was just about to berate him for butting in, again, but stopped when he saw the turian's eyes slowly close. "What's wrong?"

"Jack didn't make it." Garrus opened his eyes and re-read the message again. "Damn."

"Oh no," Tali whispered.

Garrus closed his omnitool with a sigh. "EDI, where is Commander Shepard?"

"Commander Shepard is in the CIC at Yeoman Chamber's station."

"Come on, Blue," Garrus said. "We need to tell him what you just told me."

Tali leaned back against the workbench and watched Garrus and Blue go. _Another one gone,_ she thought. While she was saddened by the criminal's passing, it didn't hit her nearly as hard as Kenneth's death. She and Jack had fought together several times, but outside of away missions, she never really spent much time with her. Jack's acerbic, sarcastic demeanor was very off-putting, and she often made snide remarks at Tali's expense. Which made her no different, really, than Garrus or Joker or some of her other ship mates, but in their case it was just friendly teasing, and she could always strike back. Jack deliberately aimed for soft spots like Tali's inability to live without a biosuit... or that Tali wanted to be Shepard's favorite pet alien. She always seemed to mean it, and any verbal retaliation might result in physical violence. Still, Jack was a capable biotic, and had served her ship and crew faithfully since she'd come aboard, and Tali could at least respect that.

She watched as Legion used a power driver to remove the bolts from its left shoulder plate and pulled the battered covering away. Dry white flakes fell to the floor, revealing a black, sooty residue on the shoulder joint underneath. "Keelah! You got hit?" She activated the visual enhancer in her visor as she walked over to the geth.

Legion looked down at her over its exposed shoulder, otherwise keeping perfectly still as she completed her inspection. "Damage is minor. We still register ninety-three percent capability in our left arm. However, the seals have been compromised and will continue to degrade. Estimate total failure within sixteen hours."

Tali leaned in close. "I don't think we'll need to take the whole thing off, but you do need a new actuator, and-" Legion held up the required component in his right hand. "Oh. Like that one you've got there. Do you want me to help?"

"We would appreciate your assistance."

"OK, this will just take a minute." Tali needed to get back to Engineering to check on Gabby and Kal, but she could spare a few minutes to help out a friend. She looked around the work area for tools and solvents to clean the damaged surfaces. Jacob always kept the armory clean and organized, and any time she used it she strived to keep it that way. Using a small hex driver, she twisted closed the tiny valves that joined the conductive hoses, then pried the damaged motor from its mount. Being modular in design, it popped out with a minimum of effort. She swabbed the empty socket and the area around it with a disposable wipe, checked the orientation of the replacement and snapped it into place. Tali re-opened the valves and took a step back. "How does it feel?"

Legion extended its left arm and rotated it in a circle while Tali watched the joint for conductive fluid or leaking lubricants. "Functionality restored, one hundred percent. Thank you, Tali."

She gave it a pat on its chest plate. She very much wanted to ask why it stopped addressing her as 'creator.' While it was unnerving to hear it come from Blue in its ersatz quarian voice, when Legion said her name it seemed more like a breakthrough, like the first time she was allowed to call Shepard by name without the _Commander_, at his request. She didn't want to risk Legion reverting to its old behavior, though, so she never asked. She liked it too much. That it drove _Vakarian-__Garrus_ crazy was a nice bonus.

Tali picked up the armor plate Legion had removed and held it in place to re-mount it but stopped. It had a centimeter-wide hole right in the middle, with spider-web cracks radiating in all directions. This close to the geth once more, she could see all of the scrapes and dents Legion had picked up over the years, some fresh from the assault on the collector base and Dashta, others going back before Legion joined the _Normandy_, during its mission to try and locate the Shepard-Commander. The most noticeable, of course, was the blast the geth took on Eden Prime from a high-powered rifle that left it with a ragged hole blown clean through its chest.

After being around Legion for so long, the gaping wound seemed perfectly normal, but having seen it along side the other geth it struck her how seriously Legion must have been damaged. Alone for so long, on its own, it did what it could to repair itself. She thought back to Blue as it primped and polished itself before it went in to meet Enlea for the first time, and how silly it seemed to her. The machines didn't care about how they looked to each other, she knew. But Blue had done it specifically because it knew organics judged based on appearance, and that did matter to the geth. Since Legion was no longer part of the collective, they didn't care how it looked.

The negotiations were going to go forward, she knew. And when they did, both Blue and Legion would most likely stand before the Conclave and Admiralty Board, Blue representing the geth, Legion at Tali's side representing the _Normandy_. While she didn't care at all what their opinion was of her, she knew how shallow and superficial her people could be and the thought of anyone deriding Legion in any way at all was not acceptable.

The hatch to CIC hissed open and Jacob walked in carrying a heavy crate before him. Following him were two of the standard geth platforms, each carrying an identical crate. "What's up, Deck Four?" he said as he set the crate down on the floor next to the weapon lockers.

"Taylor-Jacob," Legion said.

"Just set 'em down right here," Jacob instructed the geth and they stacked their crates on top of his. "Thanks. That's all I had for you. Check in back down at the hangar deck, see if they need anything else."

Tali didn't acknowledge the human. She reached out and ran her fingertips along the jagged edge of Legion's chest plate and looked up into its unblinking eye. _Maybe it's time we did something about this after all. _"Jacob? Are you in the middle of something? I have a little project in mind and could use your help."

* * *

When Garrus entered CIC and saw the Commander's station empty, his first thought was that he should head down to intercept Shepard at the infirmary. Upon hearing of Jack's demise, he regretted talking Shepard out of going in to see her, but since she never regained consciousness, would it have made any difference? But his anxiety abated when he saw Shepard hovering over Kelly's console. The Yeoman was nowhere to be seen.

He motioned Blue to follow him as he approached the Commander. "Warms my heart to see the captain of a ship finally pulling his weight."

Shepard shot him an irritated glance and went back to work on the panel.

"Don't tell me. We're downsizing and you had to let Kelly go?"

"Jack's death hit Kelly pretty hard. She needed some time to deal with it."

"Really?" Garrus said. "I didn't know they were that close. Hell, I didn't know Jack was close to anybody. I mean, she and Grunt had a cute little thing going where whoever had the most kills on a mission bought the booze. But other than that..."

Shepard shook his head and kept manipulating the holographic screens in front of him.

Garrus sighed. He was too late, he knew. No matter what he said or did now, Shepard was already blaming himself for what happened to Jack. She was the only lone wolf of the squad, pushing away anyone who tried to break through her barriers, all except for Shepard who kept going back again and again... "Let it go, Commander. I know it's wrong to speak ill of the dead, but I can't help but think if she'd stayed with the rest of us instead of running off, she'd still be alive. She didn't even file a departure plan. How could we have known where she would be when the shit hit the fan? You can't let yourself think-"

Shepard locked the screen and turned to face Garrus. "Think what? Think about how she could have gotten away without a scratch if she just walked away like she planned? She called in the ambush, Garrus. She was our warning. Instead of running out on us, she sought out the one working phone on the whole damn station with a whole pack of mercs on her ass trying to cut her off to give us a chance. You should have seen the bodies around where they cornered her. It wasn't quick. Kelly was on the line the entire time she was getting shot up. Heard the whole thing. Tried to talk to her, keep her conscious until we could get to her, but about all Jack could do by that point is gurgle blood. She saved you, she saved me, she saved everybody on this whole goddamn ship. Not bad for somebody who didn't make the top fifty percent of the bounty board, don't you think?"

Garrus stared at Shepard, stunned. The Commander turned back to Kelly's console. "So did you stop by here just to cheer me up, or did you actually have something to report this time?"

By this time, the half dozen of the crew still at their posts stopped what they were doing and looked over at Shepard and his closest friend. Other than the sound of circulation fans and the thrum of the ship's power plants, the room was silent.

"Actually, I do," Garrus said after a moment. "Apparently, Blue used her connectivity with the _Pollus Maskawa_ to circumvent the communications blackout you ordered. The ship is on its way to Thessia to investigate Miss T'vari's story."

Shepard turned his gaze to the blue geth hands on his hips. He was surprised to hear the dull, synthesized voice instead of the quarian imitation.

"After evaluating the situation," Blue said, "we deemed it highest priority to ascertain if T'vari-Enlea's information about the Creators was accurate. Mobile Platform Three will not transmit to any entity other than the geth collective or Shepard-Commander."

Shepard's brow furrowed, but his voice was free of its previous venom. "How long do you think it will take to find something?"

The geth's head flaps cycled. "Unknown. Standard round-trip travel time barring relay traffic congestion, two-point-two hours. Time to penetrate asari secure network defenses, impossible to gauge with certainty, but existing models indicate twenty-nine to two-hundred forty minutes."

"Good," Shepard nodded. "Let me know the instant they find anything. Be nice to know what we're talking about for a change. Anything else?"

Garrus shook his head. "No, Commander."

"Dismissed."

"Sorry. I never thought I'd say this... but I'm going to miss her, too."

"No you won't," Shepard didn't look up from the console. He gave a sad laugh. "It's not your fault, though... She made sure no one would. Almost."

* * *

Prenna Rusi's boots squeaked against the deck every time she turned about, and considering the small size of the receiving bay on the _Vellius,_ she was not so much pacing as turning in tight circles as she waited for the shuttle to dock. When the airlock indicator turned green, she whirled around to face the hatch. "Captain! I-"

The shuttle's turian pilot stood in the doorway and snapped a hasty salute. "Ah- Captain's still inside, ma'am. Request permission to-"

Rusi saluted and shoved her way past the pilot to the passenger compartment. She found Captain Artuis in the far seat, staring at a vid playing on her omnitool of a salarian giving some kind of briefing. Enlea T'Vari was nowhere to be seen. "Captain? Are you all right? Where's T'vari?"

Artuis paused the playback and stared at the floor with a hollow, stunned expression. "She's transferred to the _Normandy_ until further notice. We are no longer bound by her authority."

"Oh, that's good news. Shall we make ready to return to the fleet?"

"Negative. We will stay on station here. Are we still observing radio silence?"

"Yes ma'am, as per your orders."

Artuis unfastened her safety restraints and detached the omnitool from her wrist and handed it to her XO as she walked past. "Maintain alert status and the department heads assemble immediately. I want all of you to see this."

"Yes ma'am. But what about the _Normandy?_ What's going on?"

Artuis paused long enough to give Rusi a dire look over her shoulder. "Do you remember what happened at Sahrabarik? That was just a vanguard. Shepard's been right all along, and someone out there is trying to kill him. We're going to do everything we can to keep that from happening. Get moving."

"Ma'am," Rusi scowled. In her three years serving with Artuis, she'd never seen the captain so distracted and agitated. She looked down at the omntitool, frozen on a slide showing the galactic map and its relay points, yet there were dozens of lines in red leading to systems she knew were void of relays. Rusi didn't realize it, but her expression slowly morphed to the one worn by her captain when as read the title of the slide before her: _Figure 53 - Plot of Potential Mass Relay Invasion Routes by Extra-Galactic Enemy Forces.  
_

* * *

Tali bumped her head against Legion's arms as she pulled the geth's dilapidated chest and abdomen plates away from its superstructure. "Legion! Hold still! I swear you fidget as much as Grunt!' Detached circulation tubes dangled from its exposed frame and white liquid spattered the floor beneath where the excess conductive fluid had leaked out. Gritty, caked residue fell from Legion's exposed innards.

"Aw, dude," Jacob said as he pulled away the back plates and more debris dropped to the floor. "You're filthy in there!"

Tali sighed as she examined the hole in the plates in her hand. "It's been building up for who knows how long. We should have fixed this a long time ago. I'm sorry, Legion..." Having been relieved of its entire armor shell from head to toe, it was missing most of its bulk, and barely resembled a geth any more. Instead it was a tall, thin bipedal frame with a light pole where its head used to be. It clutched the remnants of Shepard's old N7 armor in its hands before it, having rescued it from the scrap pile on the workbench.

She reached out for it, but Legion pulled it away.

"Come on, man," Jacob said. "It's trash. We're gonna hook you up with a whole new set."

"We want to keep it."

Tali clasped the ruined shoulder pad in her fingers, but Legion tightened its grip and pulled it even closer. With its arms locked tightly in front of it, their ability to finish the repair job on the geth effectively ended. Shepard had queried Legion endlessly as to why it used the chunk of armor to repair itself. _No data available,_ it always said. Tali had long wondered herself, but always dismissed the idea that the machine somehow developed an attachment to a physical object because it once belonged to someone it held in high regard. Now, there was no doubt in her mind. She slid her hand from the chunk of armor to Legion's claw and gave it a gentle pat. "Of course you can. It's yours."

Tiny pistons extended on the side of Legion's camera, pushing empty space once occupied by its head flaps, which made Tali giggle.

Jacob rubbed his chin and nodded towards Legion's prize. "You know that's 2183 issue, right?"

Legion turned its camera on Jacob and Tali cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"Made from omni-gel. We could break that down, mix it in with new formula and fabricate it into new armor. It'd actually become part of you."

Legion turned on its heel to face the human and extended its hands. "We approve of this action."

Jacob grinned and lifted the armor chunk from Legion's hands and briefly wondered if any of Shepard's "residue" might still be left on the pieces, given Legion's lack of hygiene and where the piece came from. He quickly blocked out the thought, no wanting to ruin the moment. He set it down on the workbench next to the spare geth armor plates they had pulled from the crates. "You got it. Let's see what we can come up with."

"I'll take care of his insides," Tali said, reaching for a bottle of cleaning solvents, a rag and a sharp probe for scouring, "since we're in here. Hopefully we won't have to do this again for a while."

"Amen to that," Jacob said as he scanned the spare armor into the fabricator. Legion stood rigidly behind him, watching over his shoulder with interest. "Don't worry dude," he told the geth and patted the chunk of N7 armor. "I've done this a million times. You'll be able to see it the whole time."

Tali smiled as she worked, except when a particularly large chunk of debris hit the floor. They probably should have set down some kind of drop cloth, but in spite of his fastidious nature, Jacob didn't seem to mind. It took her a long time, but she'd finally come to like the Cerberus operative. He was far more stoic than Shepard or most humans she met, but as dependable as they came. She knew that if she or Shepard, or any of her friends ever fell in a firefight, Jacob would be the first one there to carry them out. How many people could she honestly say that about? "You hear about Jack?" she asked.

Jacob lined up both right and left leg plates on the bench for scanning. "Yeah. Damn shame."

"You don't seem too upset about it," Tali said, realizing her tone said the same thing about her, maybe intentionally.

"Well, she and I weren't exactly best friends."

"Yeah. Me, neither. I mean, it's sad she's gone and all, but... You know. I'm- gods... I should feel something, shouldn't I?"

Jacob shrugged. "I don't know. You see enough of people go down, you get lean with your feelings, save them for people who matter to you. It's natural. And unavoidable. I mean, Jack was good in a fight, but... never quite got the feeling she'd pull me up if I were dangling over an edge, know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Tali poked at a particularly stubborn piece of corrosion on Legion's hip. "You know, she used to scare Gabby and Ken to death. I'd send them below to storage to pick up some parts, and they'd make me go with them."

Jacob laughed. "That sounds about right. Can't say I blame them. She really did not care for the uniform. You're lucky Cerberus didn't make a suit in your size."

Tali poked her head from behind Legion to glare at the human. Had he said that to her when they first met, someone would be pulling her off of him like Shepard had done with Enlea. Now, her death stare was always accompanied by a smile behind her mask. "Like I'd want to look like Miranda."

"Better than Jack," Jacob shook his head as he processed another piece of geth armor.

"Oh, no doubt. Honestly, didn't she get cold at all? I know those tattoos couldn't keep her warm." Tali glanced up when she noticed the geth was looking at her. "What's wrong, Legion?"

"She was one of us," Legion said and turned its head back to watch Jacob work.

Both Tali and Jacob stopped what they were doing, if only for a moment. A heavy silence lingered as the organics resumed their tasks, having being rendered speechless by a machine.

* * *

Arawazi T'Lon clenched her teeth. It was involuntary any time she heard the raspy inhalation of a volus rebreather, a reflex by this time in her life. It was her duty, though, as a relay transit controller to deal with spaceships of all species making the jump into the asari home system... including, sadly, those belonging to the volus. Sitting in a clear dome atop Fellia Station with two dozen of her sister controllers, she cursed herself that this particular vessel landed in her queue.

"I show no record of your ship, Captain," she said, one finger on the mute button as she prepared to cancel out the horrible sound, but she always seemed to miss it. "Did you file a flight plan?"

She was too late, and the alien's wheeze ripped through her earpiece like static. _"Affirmative, Parnitha Control," _replied a nasal voice, followed by another infernal sniff. _"We have followed all regulations..." _Arawazi cringed once more, _"And have all the proper visas manifests and permits for routing to_ _Thessia_." Again, the distorted wheeze. "_We believe you are in error. Please check again."_

"I've looked twice already, and-" Arawazi blinked at her screen. Where the transponder code once showed as unknown and the windows for manifest and flight plan were empty, detailed documentation on the ship now filled the display: travel history, ownership and registry, and a cargo manifest of high-end audio/visual equipment.

She scowled at her screen. Glitches weren't unheard of, but in her decades on the job she'd never seen an entire ship drop out of the system. She keyed her panel and sent the ship's ident through to Arrival Security. A split second later, she got a response from their independently maintained secured database. The records were a complete match.

"Huh," she muttered to herself. _Just as well,_ she thought. _You won't have to listen to that little rolly-polly catch his breath anymore. _She keyed her mic. "My apologies, captain. It just came through. Transferring you to approach. Welcome to Parnitha."

She jabbed at the mute button, but released early and caught another earful of static. Why couldn't they build a filter into this thing, she wondered. _"Thank you, madam. Switching frequencies to Thessia Approach. __MV _Pollus Maskawa_ out."_


	43. Sins of the Mothers

For someone now into her early thousands by human standards, Matriarch Naranna still had plenty of bounce left in her step as she ascended the white marble stairs to the Grand Quorum, a six-story circular arena built not for combat but the greatest competitive sport for of the asari: debate. Built millennia ago, expanded through the centuries and augmented with technology as time passed, it was the oldest structure in consistent use in the state of Fiatela, and the second oldest on the entire planet of Thessia. Asari of all stages stepped out of the way to allow the elder Matriarch to pass, as she was as revered as the ancient building she now entered. She moved slowly, one step at a time, her simple green tunic and robes covering skin that was still as blue as the day she was born.

Sunlight shown through the Quorum's mighty columns into the outer ring which surrounded the main arena. Giant holo screens adorned the inner wall, in place so that anyone could see bios of the current speaker and her opponent, detailed statistical breakdown of attendants and feeds from the quorums of other Republics as they joined in the debates. While stocks, commodities and futures drove commerce between worlds, the currency of Thessia was ideas.

But the holo screens were dark, with a scant few displaying "NO SIGNAL." Naranna looked toward the main information hub where a group of technicians calmly inspected the equipment with omnitools and other diagnostic equipment, while all about them asari queued patiently to receive chamber assignments and debate schedules. In spite of the chaos and inconvenience, there was no shouting, no shoving or cross words. The debates had been going on for thousands of years through all manor of calamities, long before electricity had ever been discovered and somehow their ancestors managed. Technology may fail, but tradition always triumphed. Naranna smiled, but it was for the sole benefit of the asari greeting her as she passed. She knew the real reason the screens were down, and if decorum didn't demand it, she'd be running to her chambers as fast as her frail legs could carry her.

Naranna passed by the entrances to the main bowl, nodding to her colleagues on her way to her private suite. Unusually, there were two security guards in front of the sliding glass door instead of one, and they bowed their heads as they simultaneously keyed in the code to let her pass. She smiled at the receptionist inside sitting behind a desk in front a floor-to-ceiling holoscreen as dark as the ones outside. She pointed a thin finger at the inactive display. "This seems more serious than someone tripping over a power cord. Is the entire Quorum experiencing this outage?"

"Yes, Madam," the receptionist said. "Information Services says the entire complex is having a general network failure."

"'General network failure,'" Naranna repeated, though without any irritation. "Sounds suspiciously non-specific. So they don't know the cause yet?"

"No, madam."

"Or when we'll be back up?"

"No, madam."

Naranna drummed her fingers on the desk and smiled. "I see. Well, please have Donia report to my office. I believe a review of our terms of service with our infrastructure contractor is in order."

"Yes madam, Miss Toma is already waiting for you."

"Ah, excellent," Naranna patted the receptionist's hand as she walked slowly past. "Infernal machines only slow us down anyway. I'm expecting Matriarch Collona soon. Please let me know when they arrive."

"Yes madam."

Naranna's smile faded as soon as she passed the desk. Two more guards stood post on either side of her chamber door off the main atrium. She passed through. Bright blue sky flooded through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the outside wall and sunlight glinted from the surface of the highly polished hardwood table at its center. Thousands of years old, the great meeting table had borne silent witness to uncounted debates amongst some of the asari's most revered philosophers and thinkers. It was in stark contrast to the sharp corners and modern lines of the more contemporary furniture and equipment that surrounded it.

Donia Toma stood on the other side, omnitool out, a dire scowl on her face. Donia was shorter and more squat than most asari, a look only enhanced by the dark gray power armor she wore, especially with the heavy SMG now on her hip.

"I appreciate your discretion in your notification,'" Naranna said. Donia bowed slightly. "So tell me about this 'network outage."

"We've been breached." Donia said after the door closed. "Our networks have been completely compromised. _Completely_, madam. I've never seen anything like it. They hit us so fast across so many parallel entry points that we had to bring down all peripheral networks in the Quorum. Our network engineers are still trying to sort it out."

"Do you know who it was?"

"Not yet. We're working on it. Whoever did it was very good at covering their tracks. But Matriarch, with the speed at which they penetrated our network defenses and took control of our own systems... They had to be working with someone on the inside. I've called in all of the staff under the guise of helping with the outage and am having everyone questioned."

"Good," Naranna said. "But so far I'm not hearing anything that warrants a face-to-face discussion. We got hacked. It happens."

Donia cleared her throat. "There was a physical penetration into a restricted area as well."

Naranna heard the words but it took her brain a moment to comprehend them. "What?"

"Apparently, our LOKI security force was compromised during the attack. They overwhelmed the guards and forced their way into the third-floor archives." Donia projected a recording of the security feed from her omnitool. As they watched, a stream of the mechanical servants marched past another receptionist desk as the attendant tried fruitlessly to press the alarm, but found herself pinned by two of the droids. One of the LOKI then went to work around the security panel as the rest formed a wall, face out, around it.

"Once open, several of the mechs entered and attempted to interface with the secure network via the terminals there. From examining the data access logs from those locations, it appears they succeeded before Internal Security broke through and put them down."

Naranna breathed a sigh of relief. "But none of the androids left the archive with the data? Goddess bless network segregation." For some reason Donia did not share her relieved expression.

"When the LOKI penetrated the secure network," Donia explained, "they were in direct communication with the LOKI blocking the hall outside, who were in turn connected to the unsecured network. I'm sorry, Matriarch, but the secure network was exposed for almost three minutes before IntSec was able to terminate the connection." She fast forwarded the security feed to a view of a corridor choked with smoke, with armored commandos walking over the blasted shells of the decimated LOKI security force. "Fortunately, no one was injured. And they could have been. All of the LOKI's were carrying their standard loadout. This could have been a massacre of terrible proportions, but they didn't fire. I guess whoever had control couldn't tap the weapon systems."

Naranna felt her head go light and she staggered against the wall behind her. Donia was at her side in an instant and walked her to a plush black leather chair at the closest edge of the massive table. "Do we know what information was taken?"

"Yes we do," Donia pulled up her omnitool. "Whoever it was must have realized they were going to have access only for a short time, so their search queries were very specific. They were looking for any information relating to the geth."

Naranna sat up to look at the security chief's omni, the color drained from her face. "The geth? Let me see." Donia waited patiently as the elder Matriarch grabbed her wrist and scrolled through page after page of data, with documents going back to before the geth uprising, then leaned back in her chair.

Donia switched off her tool and shook her head. "I reviewed the data that was compromised. There's nothing sensitive... They put in a lot of effort to get what amounts to a university level history course."

"Incredible," Naranna murmured. "No one knows about this?"

"We've kept it completely contained, thanks in part to having to shut down all the networks. They're still down as we look for any little surprises left by the intruders."

Naranna rubbed her temples. "Keep it quiet as long as you can. Have maintenance pull the records on the security mechs and have legal start investigating options for lawsuits against the manufacturer for providing faulty equipment."

"Ma'am," Donia scowled. "Did I not make myself clear? Someone breached our security. This wasn't the result of faulty hardware."

The Matriarch gazed upon Donia with half-lidded eyes. "Maybe I didn't make _myself _clear. No word of this is to go beyond this room. I have heard and understand your report. I'm telling you I don't want anyone knowing our security mechs are vulnerable to hacking. Do you understand?"

"Yes madam. What about the search?"

The Matriarch, now lost in thought, seemed irritated at the question. "What?"

"The search for the perpetrators. How do you want it handled?"

"Oh. However you think is best, your discretion. You may go. But leave your omnitool."

"Madam?"

"Your omnitool, please. With the networks down I can't very well pull up a copy of this can I?"

"No, madam," Donia unfastened her omnitool's wrist clamp and handed it to Naranna. "Of course not."

"You may go."

Donia nodded and walked for the door. Whatever the reason behind the Matriarch's lack of concern over the investigation, Donia welcomed it. _At your discretion_ allowed a lot of latitude to do what needed to be done. While the lack of her omnitool would slow the process down, it was of little use with all the local network access points shut down anyway. Besides, was she going to say no to her Matriarch?

When she got to the door and opened it, she stepped aside immediately at the sight of another elderly asari, dressed in a flamboyant red and white robe covered with semi-precious stones that glimmered in the sunlight. A silk net embedded with similar stones draped across her scalp.

Donia bowed. "Matriarch Collona."

"Donia," Collona smiled down at the squat security chief as she walked through. From the look in her eyes, Collona already knew what was going on and the smile was just a platitude.

Naranna swiveled her chair around to face her counterpart and give Donia her final dismissal.

Collona's facade dropped the instant the door closed and the security locks re-engaged. "I heard the secure network was breached? What did they get?"

"Have a look for yourself," Naranna sighed and handed over the security officer's omnitool.

Collona took the omnitool and switched on the screen without placing it over her wrist. Donia's last document was still in place. After a few seconds of searching, Collona scowled. "That's it?"

"That's it," Naranna repeated and waited for Collona to wander down the same mental path she had traversed minutes before. "They were looking for it specifically, based on the queries they ran."

"Why would anyone look up information about the geth?" Collona took a seat next to Naranna and placed the tool on the table so they both could see. "Anything that could link us to them was purged centuries ago."

"Other than the two of us," Naranna said with a thin smile.

"Do you know who's responsible?"

Naranna reached out and opened the network administrator's initial report on the omnitool. Alongside the text readout played an animation of the cyberattack as it progressed through the Quorum's subsystems. Infected nodes blossomed in dozens of locations and spread like a plague across the schematic, disabling alarms and firewalls along the way, and finding alternate routes when blocked. Collona had to blink her eyes clear when she saw the timestamp indicating how long it took for the public networks to be totally overwhelmed. _Four seconds,_ she thought. _Against the most advanced hardware and software security available on Thessia, it took them four seconds to break through._

Naranna leaned back with her hands on her lap, exuding a sense of calm she didn't feel in the least. "Recognize the pattern?"

"Geth," Collona blinked a few times and switched off the omnitool. "The geth were here. Goddess! How... How did they know where to find us?"

Naranna scowled at the other Matriarch's lapse of composure. She pushed herself to her feet and staggered toward the windows leaning against the table as she went. "One of two ways. Either they found Lessia on Rannoch, or someone sent them knocking on our door. And I think if they found Lessia, they would have done more than knock."

Collona looked up. "No one was killed?"

"Not that I'm aware of. No geth were actually here. They used our own LOKI's against us and staged an essentially bloodless raid."

"It's like I've always told you." Tears began to form in Collona's eyes. "They're not killers."

"Not today," Naranna told the weeping woman. "But your children still killed over seventeen billion people."

"They never wanted to kill _anyone,"_ Collona rasped. "They learned it from _us._ You couldn't resist blaming me then and you can't now. You have a dark soul, Naranna. We haven't spoken of this in fifty years and you can't resist digging your knife in the same wound. As usual I have to remind you that none of this could have happened without the the willing consent of the Citadel Council." She pointed a bony finger adorned with a gaudy, shield-shaped ring. "And everyone who sits at this table knows it... _Councilor."_

Naranna stared into the park below, its beautiful fountain spraying foam into the breeze. Mothers and daughters sat on benches and fed birds while white, puffy clouds drifted across the sky. Fiatela's skyline sparkled in the distance, the tallest of its towers disappearing behind those same clouds. She closed her eyes. "The quarians' fate was the result of their own arrogance and hubris. They were oh-so-clever in getting around the very laws that would have prevented the disaster which wiped them out. I can't tell you how many times their Chancellor came before us in person and swore upon the lives of his children that no AI research would ever take place. I understand the arrogant bastard died in the first wave."

She shook her head. "We never should have agreed to allow testing to continue. 'But no,' Councilor Yashir said, 'their research into distributed computing is too valuable to abandon.' Salarian seasons are short. What do they know about consequences? And the turians? Primarch Valkerus couldn't wait to give his generals a synthetic army and a fleet of ships that could think for themselves, and Councilor Tiburkan always followed orders. They overruled me, two to one. They thought having inspectors and advisers on site to monitor the quarians' progress would keep things from getting out of hand," she cast a meaningful look at Collona. "We all know how well that worked out." She laughed humorlessly and walked slowly back to the table. "Arrogance and hubris. Flaws not exclusive to the quarians."

Collona closed her eyes, once again causing tears to dribble down her cheeks. "But they're the only ones who paid for it."

Naranna sat across the table from the other Matriarch. "And what would you have us do? Confess? Issue an an apology? The Citadel is already in chaos because of those idiot humans and their own special brand of arrogance and hubris. The Council can't withstand another scandal of this magnitude. It couldn't then, it won't now. If we could have acted in concert during the uprising maybe it could have been stopped. But no one wanted to take responsibility. No one had to. The geth took care of it for us. Rannoch fell. The dead cannot be resurrected. But what if it were to come out now? Who do you think will take the blame? Every turian and salarian who was involved or even had knowledge of our involvement died centuries ago. They'll have show trials and condemnations, but all the perpetrators have been lost to time. There will be no one left to blame. Except for us."

She watched Collona's eyes and let that thought sink in. She could tell it was having the desired effect. "The asari have been maintaining the balance for thousands of years. The other species look to us as the guardians of peace and and champions of diplomacy. We are an example to all of them, of what they can achieve, and all of that will be lost. But it's not just our galactic reputation that's in jeopardy. Our culture, the spirit of our society will be shattered to the very foundation. What would be brought down could never be rebuilt again. We witnessed the destruction of one culture. I won't watch it happen again, especially not to our own."

Collona rotated the ring around her finger. "So what do we do?"

"Whatever is necessary to protect the asari. The geth haven't found Lissia. If they had, they wouldn't have come here looking for information."

"But they did come here," Collona said. "That can't be coincidence."

"No. As I said before, someone must have sent them," Naranna and reached over to a comm panel embedded in the table, then remembered that it, along with all of the other networking equipment, was still offline. She sat back down. "Counselor Tevos reported that her operative shadowing the _Normandy_ is overdue, and that both have ships have disappeared. And there are geth on the _Normandy._ That can't be coincidence, either."

"Tevos assured us that Enlea T'vari had no information that could compromise us. She was involved in Citadel operations only."

A cold chill sent shivers up and down Naranna's spine. If her suspicions were true, this breach in security wasn't going to be the last. "Come now, Collona, you know better than anyone the geth's ability to piece together information."

Collona ran her finger across the ridge of her shield ring and Naranna's face and voice faded to nothing.

* * *

_Collona raced up the stairs holding Shima under her shoulder with Lorris ahead of them as another vibration racked the stairway. They felt, rather than heard the explosion underfoot as they could hear little else over the screech of the fire alarm. A deep cut on Shima's right shin above her leather split-toe boot spattered blood on the concrete step, re-opened by the fall. Collona stopped and pulled her up by her waist. The quarian woman's blue hood flipped back, exposing long, wavy black hair that under normal circumstances was kept in a neat ponytail but now billowed around her head like a frazzled mane. Shima's palm was damp with sweat as her two fingers clasped Collona's hand and she got to her feet._

_Lorris turned around and stepped back down, his own short gray hair tousled and speckled with debris, his reflective eyes flashing in emergency lights. "I got her, I got her," he said as he put Shima's arm over his shoulder. He was a frail man in his nineties, but he couldn't stand to watch any more. "Go help your sister!"  
_

_"Thanks Mister Kygah," Collona said and leaned over the railing. She still couldn't see very far down the narrow center of the stairway but at least the smoke was thinner now. "Liss!"  
_

_A blue asari face poked over the rail two floors below. "Right behind you! How much further!"  
_

_"Uhh," Collona looked around for some indication of where she was. "I'm at seventy four! Only six more to go! I'm coming back."  
_

_"Like hell you are, get to the roof!"  
_

_A sudden shock pitched the floor beneath Collona's feet. Dust and chipped paint fell from above, and dozens of screams echoed throughout the stairway. This time, they _did_ hear the explosion. "Liss," she shouted again and pelted back down the stairs. She passed another dazed quarian pulling himself up the railings, his business wrap and hood coated with dust. "Lissia!"  
_

_"I'm right here," Lissia snapped from the next landing down. A tall, athletic woman, Lissia eschewed traditional asari garb for her own style of dress, a red quarian robe adorned with all manor of cheap synthetic stones. She carried two large sacks over her back and a heavy satchel. "Dammit, I told you to get upstairs!"  
_

_"Did you?" Collona took the heavy satchel from her sister's hands and reached for one of the sacks slung over her back. "I couldn't hear over the sirens."  
_

_Lissia waved her away. "I got these. We gotta get the hell out of here."  
_

_Collona laughed with the relief of seeing her sister. "Right in front of you. You gonna make it?"  
_

_"Yeah, yeah," Lissia panted. "Got it."  
_

_The boots of the two asari pounded up the stairs. There was no more talk, as every breath was needed to carry the load and themselves to the top. They reached a door labelled "ROOF ACCESS" and pushed it open. They squinted into the bright sunlight and saw a flat rooftop covered by solar panels and HVAC blocks.  
_

_"Over here!" shouted a quarian voice. They turned to the right where two dozen quarians in dirty office attire waited to board a four-engine VTOL transport twenty meters away. A pair of marines in full combat armor helped them up. Lissia and Collona staggered as quickly as they could.  
_

_"Colly!" Shima reached out from where she leaned against a panel block. Her shin still dripped blood. "I was so scared when I didn't see you come out after us!"  
_

_"Had to go back for this idiot." Collona jerked a thumb at her sister. "All that time in the gym and she can only carry two thirty kilo bags up twenty flights of stairs."  
_

_Lissia set her heavy load on the ground and smiled tiredly. "You always carry enough weight for the both of us. How can you live on a dextro planet and still gain weight?"  
_

_"Hey, listen!" Jory'Sargar, a broker at First Trager, Inc. on the sixtieth floor waved to get everyone's attention. He held a small radio up to his ear and shouted to be heard over the VTOL's engines. "Listen! It's not just happening here! They're everywhere! Elima, New Drioli, Neema, they're all under attack! All over the surface, and even the colonies!"  
_

_Cries of shock rippled through the crowd. "How?" someone shouted. "They said the geth were only here this morning, and they had been contained!"  
_

_"There's more of them than we thought," Jory shouted. "Latest report said they're making more of themselves! There's tens of thousands more, a hundred thousand here alone!"  
_

_Collona's stomach fell. The previous nights' estimate was that the rebellion would be contained in a few hours... but that was based on the four-to-six thousand platforms. The geth must have gained access to manufacturing centers and factories and transmitted themselves offworld. She would have been excited at the prospect of seeing machines reproduce, except if they got past the Tikkun relay... She turned to Lissia, but she wasn't there. Her sister had gone to the rear of the VTOL, next to Deara T'Siem, their team project manager.  
_

_"We've got to get the rest of them," Deara said, tears in her eyes.  
_

_"How many more?" Lissa sucked a knuckle on her right hand and wiped the blood from a cut on her dirty wrap.  
_

_"Four. It's a two person job."  
_

_"Goddess."  
_

_Collona between at the two of them. "How many more what?"  
_

_Lissa clamped her eyes tightly at the sight of her younger sister and shook her head. "Don't worry about it."  
_

_"Prototypes," Deara said, "Asari-style models for when we go into production on Thessia. They're down in the lab."  
_

_"That's twenty-six floors," Collona said, her eyes wide. "One way!"  
_

_"We gotta do it," Deara said, crying openly now. "We can't let anyone get hold of them. They can't be found here. They've got our stampings, the blueprints, the fabrication plans... Nobody can see them. Not the quarians, not the customs officers, not the geth."  
_

_Lissia doubled over, trying to catch her breath. "Goddess, no. You know how good they are at piecing together data... Last thing we need are a bunch of asari geth running around."  
_

_Collona looked at her boss and her sister, who was also her best friend. "Okay, okay. With all three of us, it'll go a whole lot quicker."  
_

_"No," Lissia said, standing upright. "Deara and I are senior. We'll do it."  
_

_"That's right," Deara said, instantly switching back into manager mode. In the decades they knew her, Deara never let someone do a dirty job for her. "Grab what we've got here and get on that ship. There still survivors coming up, we'll get out on the next one."  
_

_"No fucking way," it was now Collona's turn to cry. "I'm not leaving without you!"  
_

_Lissa grabbed her by the shoulders. "You've got to get those bags out of here, do you hear me? And you can't let anybody see what's inside. Destroy them if you have to... It's important, Colly. You can't believe how important. We'll get out on the next one, okay? We'll meet you at the spaceport."  
_

_Collona stared into her sister's eyes. They should have both been well into the matron stage of their lives, but instead chose career over family... and now they were they only family they had left.  
_

_"It's important," Lissia said again.  
_

_"Okay," Collona said and reached out to hug her sister. The two asari held each other for a few seconds. Then everyone on the roof them jumped when a pair of quarian strike fighters streaked by at eye-level near supersonic speed.  
_

_"We'd better hurry," Deara said. She patted Collona's shoulder as she passed. "Get 'em out of here, Colly."  
_

_"Yes ma'am," Collona said and watched as her sister followed their boss back to the emergency stairwell. Lissia turned and waved, then shouted something that got drowned out by the nearby VTOL engines. Collona didn't need to hear it to know what she said. "I love you!" Collona mouthed back. She rushed around to the side of the transport where the last of the passengers were being loaded and slung the heavy satchel onto the lip of the cargo deck.  
_

_"Leave it!" the quarian marine sitting in the door shouted from behind his gas mask. "Personnel only!"  
_

_"This is valuable research!" Collona said and held up the ID badge clipped to her tunic. "This might help us fight them!"  
_

_The marine jumped down from his perch, lifted both of the remaining bags on his shoulders and heaved them onto the deck. He hopped back up and offered a gloved hand to the asari. She took it, realizing the soldier was wearing full chemical protection gear, complete with a sealed mask. She was about to ask why when the door slammed shut and the transport pitched to one side. The bags containing the prototype slid against the wall, and she heard a metallic clank hit the deck. She reached down to make sure the bags was still closed, and her fingers closed around a metal hoop. She pulled it up to see that goddess-awful trashy piece of costume jewelry Lissia always insisted on wearing. She thought back to their conversation behind the VTOL, how her sister had cut her finger. The ring must have done it while she was carrying the prototypes up the stairs.  
_

_"Dear gods in heaven," came a shout from behind. She looked over her shoulder and saw Jory's face against the glass. She looked out the window next to her, as did everyone else on their side of the plane. Below, fires raged throughout the city sending giant columns of black smoke into the sky. Muzzle flashes flickered in the streets and through the smoke like static. Giant crab-legged machines crushed the cars and trucks in their path as they pounded through the streets. Heavy construction mechs towered above the destruction, their drills, buckets, and grappling arms replaced with autocannons and energy weapons that slashed into retreating infantry and armor, hell bent on destroying what they had been repairing only weeks before.  
_

_She closed her eyes and pressed the ring to her lips. With a city dying below, all she could think of was how much she wanted to get the stupid ring back to her sister.  
_

* * *

Collona shook her head and looked about. Matriarch Naranna was still at the table, but four more Matriarchs of the Order were now seated as well. Naranna was talking to the others but glanced occasionally towards Collona. Collona closed her eyes, oblivious to what they were saying around her. The only indication she was awake was the rubbing of her thumb against the shield shaped ring on her finger.


	44. Mirrors

Enlea T'Vari watched with amazement, and a little envy, as Miranda Lawson commanded three holoscreens on her desk as one, each with the precision of a surgeon. There was not a single miss-click or backspace on any of them, while Enlea fumbled with her own omnitool as she sat next to the Cerberus operative. Of course, the human had the aid of what was obviously a very advanced VI as she mined the data, but the direction of all of the searches came from Lawson, with EDI delivering the results.

In spite of the woman's intuition, though, they were no closer to uncovering the perpetrators of the attack at Dashta after an hour. Enlea shrugged. "Well at least we know the order didn't come from us." She laughed, realizing that she made it sound as though she was only happy because it exonerated her as a suspect. "I mean, anything we can do to narrow the search is good, right?"

Miranda sighed and pushed her chair back and to the side so she was now facing Enlea. She noticed skin around the asari's eyes was dark and blotchy, and her ordinarily immaculately pressed clothes were stretched and wrinkled, sure signs that she had been up for a long period of time. But there was an air of earnestness and relief in her voice that still poked through the exhaustion, which only made it clear to Miranda that Enlea had no idea what the data she carried meant. She leaned forward in her chair, her elbows on her knees. "You don't really know who you're working for, do you?"

Enlea blinked twice. Throughout their searches, the identities of most of her contacts and superiors remained shielded behind obscure, randomly generated screen names and logins. While the contents of their messages could be read, their names and positions remained a mystery. Enlea knew some of them to be sure, but could not bring herself to expose them. She hoped, foolishly maybe, that the subject would not come up. "Well, I know it's difficult to explain, and given the circumstances I understand if you don't exactly put a lot of faith in what I say, but I serve the Citadel, first and foremost. My duties as diplomat as well as, um... intelligence asset, preclude me from saying exactly whom I report to."

Miranda's lips tightened to a thin smile. "And your allegiance to this council of Matriarchs you mentioned earlier?"

Enlea could not hide her indignation. "Does not preclude in any way my duties duties the Citadel. In fact, our aims for the betterment of society as a whole have always aligned, not just for the asari but for everyone."

"Really?" asked Miranda. "Because from what you've shown me, you basically work for the asari equivalent of Cerberus."

"What?" Enlea gasped. It took her a moment to realize the human was serious. "That's insane! We're not terrorists!" Miranda arched an eyebrow at her, and Enlea began scrolling through her omnitool at a maddening pace. "Everything I've shown you says otherwise! We may have been keeping tabs on the other species on the Citadel, but we use this information to help people, not harm them."

Miranda turned back to her screens and began chaining together columns of data across the screens as Enlea continued her frantic defense. The asari's hands trembled as she tried to punch up the search command. "I haven't received a single order that could be remotely construed as treasonous or violent..." Her voice trailed off as Miranda leaned to the holo directly in front of her and with two taps of her fingers the rightmost screen flashed "_Contact between quarians and geth must be prevented. Ensure the destruction of the Normandy by any means necessary."_ Miranda went back to work on the other two screens without missing a beat.

"Well. That crossed the line," Enlea said after taking a deep breath. "Obviously. But that's why I came to you with it, isn't it? I swear, nothing like this has happened before. I don't come from Illium, or Omega, Miss Lawson. I work on the Citadel, the very heart of the galaxy, a nexus for all people to gather in peace. My people have worked for thousands of years to create a cradle of diplomacy and opened it to all people willing to work within the law, for all species, even one such as yours. We would never do anything to jeopardize that."

Miranda dragged the leftmost window into the center screen where two grids of data merged to one. On the left side scrolled messages and alerts from Enlea's omnitool. "I've been corroborating the data in your omnitool against the Cerberus database. On the left we have your message archive. On the right, a list of covert operations known to have occurred throughout Council space during the last decade." Names, places and dates from all across the galaxy floated by, joined to Enlea's correspondence by thin lines. "Unprosecuted data thefts, reversals in legislation, election fraud, weapons trafficking, assassinations..."

"It was my job to monitor all those things," Enlea said. "In spite of our best efforts, the galaxy is still a dangerous place."

"Except that many of your messages about these occurrences pre-date when they happen." Miranda pressed a one of the messages and it halted on the display and the connecting line brightened. Miranda touched the corresponding report and it expanded to the right screen. "For example, this report on a human weapon smuggler, Marcus Ogilvy. An excellent catch, by the way, in spite of the illegality of your methods. However, because of the lack of proper evidence, C-Sec was unable to prosecute."

Enlea nodded. "I remember. He was the main supplier for the Blue Suns in the lower wards. But his operation in Zakera was shut down and he fled Citadel. He was later killed by his own associates for exposing their network."

"Except he wasn't," Miranda followed the line and touched the corresponding folder on the Cerberus monitor. A half-dozen dossiers of human criminals flashed on the screen, each with the word DECEASED over their pictures. "Ogilvy made it as far as Utopia, where he did meet his fate, but it wasn't his own people who did it. They were already dead on the Citadel, something that C-Sec records don't reflect because the official investigation was closed. Cerberus, however, felt the unexplained murder of six humans warranted investigation. But we were never able to figure out who did it."

Miranda opened the trafficker's profile. "Ogilvy was intercepted as he attempted to make it deeper into human space where he thought he'd be safe. A single witness saw a well-armed group of asari abduct Mr. Ogilvy from a transfer station at Zion, where no asari had any right to be."

"Eye-witnesses are very unreliable," Enlea said.

"Except when the witness was one of our operatives who recorded the entire incident," Miranda touched the holo and a video window popped open to a security camera feed. "After his associates turned up dead we put a trace on him and caught up with him at Zion." A human male stood on a deserted transport platform waiting for a skycab. A spark of light enveloped his head and he fell to the ground to be dragged away by some unseen force. She replayed the event using IR and UV enhancement. A pair of cloaked figures became visible as they pulled the unconscious human away. "Asari Commandos, operating well within Alliance boundaries. We were unable to determine their exact unit designation, but like the murders on the Citadel, it remained a mystery to us up until now."

Enlea shook her head. "You're reaching. There's nothing here that implicates the Citadel or any of the Asari Republics for that matter. Those asari were probably Eclipse. Ogilvy made a lot of enemies for himself."

Miranda punched the glowing line to the right of the picture to bring up the next entry in the dossier. "The weapon shipment Mr. Ogilvy was to deliver was never found by C-Sec even after weeks of searching. The official conclusion was that the shipment never existed, providing an explanation as to why Ogilvy was killed. He shorted his partners." Miranda tapped the next line and the screen flipped to the next slide. "But a full manifest of the weapons was provided to Alliance investigators by Marine Staff Sergeant Sandoval, Kyla G, quartermaster, Alpha Company, 22nd Marine Battalion on Eden Prime as part of her testimony in exchange for a lighter sentence. They did a complete inventory of the entire division and found over two hundred weapons unaccounted for." Another tap of a finger brought up a galactic map highlighted by glowing blue points. "At least until they were used in at least sixteen raids across nine different systems, resulting in over two hundred deaths and several hundred million in damages."

"You need to turn this over to C-Sec, immediately," Enlea gasped. "Withholding this kind of information is what allows incidents like this to happen!"

"Enlea," Miranda paused to choose her words. She backed out of the Cerberus files to Enlea's message list and highlighted the lines connecting them to the Cerberus dossiers on the screen via a twisted maze of branching connections. "The perpetrators in every incident where the weapons were later used were asari. I have no doubt that you acted in good faith when you passed on your Citadel reports to your handlers on Thessia. In this kind of arrangement, with the kind of people you work for, information flows one way. You couldn't possibly know what was being done with it. You need to understand that this was not an isolated incident."

Miranda touched another folder. "Here we have emails belonging to a turian representative named Sagil Verrulnus detailing his attempts to block a vote on asari economic expansion into the Terminus. He was electrocuted in a bathhouse one day after you broke into his account. Faulty insulation, according to the official report. Our investigation concluded the scene had been compromised before C-Sec arrived to investigate. And here, a report taken from the Citadel Office of Economic Development shows a volus fabrication company attempting to land some very lucrative construction contracts in Teysari Ward. It looked like they had it locked, especially after they dug up a report that the asari company bidding on the project routinely cut costs by using undocumented, exiled quarians as their primary labor force. Yet the volus withdrew their bid and abandoned the ward the next day when their worksite and equipment stores were sacked by dozens of armed thugs. Three volus were killed. No arrests were ever made. It was written off as a riot sparked by a wage dispute. Coincidentally, a week later, the asari picked up the contract."

Miranda scrolled through page after page of reports connected by those glowing lines. "And I just picked those at random. We can go through as many as you like. But I think you'll find that in each case, the asari come out on top."

Enlea's jaw dropped as her eyes scanned the screens.

Miranda leaned back in her seat. "I should thank you, really. What you've given us clears up a great number of mysteries that confounded our best analysts. More importantly, it ties them all together. It brings into focus the picture of a shadow organization operating from the asari homeworld with wide-reaching, invisible influence, willing to go to any length necessary to protect the interests of their people. Sound familiar?"

Enlea shook her head in disbelief. Miranda sighed. "Trust me, Miss T'Vari. I know of what I speak. This is an area I am intimately familiar with."

Her hands shaking once more, Enlea now scrolled through Miranda's screens herself. As much as she wanted to believe that this was some kind of trick, an elaborate ruse by Cerberus, the sheer quantity and quality of the intelligence before her was almost as staggering as Professor Solus' report on the reapers. She watched dozens more of her reports drift across the screen, each coupled with its associated Cerberus addendum, before she forced herself to turn it off.

The asari's lips tightened over her jaw, and tears formed at the edge of her eyes. Miranda half expected her to storm out in a spectacular fashion, but instead Enlea just stared at the screen. "Why are you doing this to me?" Enlea said. "You hate us so much you want to see us fall to your level?"

Miranda sighed. Her first instinct might have been to ridicule Enlea for being naive, at the same taking satisfaction from seeing the haughty diplomat struggle with being so monumentally wrong about everything, but she wasn't enjoying it all. Miranda couldn't count the times she had to deal with operatives and assets that sincerely wanted to help their species, but could not accept that in an uncaring universe, drastic steps sometimes had to be taken. How many times did she have to defend her position with her shipmates and the other members of the squad who looked at her for the longest time as their worst enemy? Listening to Shepard's rationalizations that he was working _with_ Cerberus, not _for_ them, seeing how every time his eyes focused the emblem on the walls, the uniforms, he seemed to die a little inside. And the more time she spent under his command, the more she realized how right they all were. But Miranda knew exactly what Cerberus was from the start. It was her choice. For others, the revelation of the machinery behind the curtain was never easy to accept.

_It's far easier to stand in the dark and look into the light,_ she thought. _Because when you're standing in light, you don't know how deep the darkness goes. _"No," she told the asari, who refused to look back at her. "I'm doing it because the woman who wrote these reports had no idea what they were being usedf for. Now she does. What she chooses to do with this information is up to her."

To Miranda's surprise, the asari laughed, but it wasn't because anything was funny. She rubbed her eyes and sat back in her chair, completely sapped of energy. "How far back does this go?"

Miranda tapped her keyboard. "Our records only go back so far, twenty years or so. But it's reasonable to assume from what we've seen that they've been in operation far longer. It takes time to set up an operation as vast and well prepared as this."

Miranda suddenly scowled at the thought, which made Enlea sit up sharply. "What?"

"Time," Miranda swept her hands across the center holo screen, causing it to go dark. With renewed vigor she re-opened the files on Dashta and Erinle. "They were there, waiting for us," she gritted her teeth, cursing herself for not seeing it before.

"Who?" Enlea asked, but Miranda stayed focused on the screens and did not answer, for which she was almost grateful. There had already been too many surprises as it was.

* * *

"All right, Legion," Tali said as she rubbed armor shavings from her hands and backed away from the geth. "You're good to go."

Legion took a step forward and stretched its arms wide and the armory's overhead lights reflected brightly from pearlescent white armor plating that covered its head, shoulders, abdomen and legs. Gone were the jagged edges and scraped, burned surfaces, the mismatched components, and gaping seams. Instead of a walking wreck, the geth now looked like it had just taken a step off the showroom floor.

"Looking good, buddy," Jacob said from behind as he continued to check for obstructed joints or leaks. He nodded and gave Tali a thumbs up.

Tali smiled behind her mask. In spite of how she felt earlier when she saw the effort Mobile Platform Two put into cosmetic repairs upon returning to the ship, she had to agree that Legion looked so much better than before. It still had the same lines as a basic geth platform, but being clean and shiny it was much more likely to inspire curiosity or admiration rather than terror, at least to those few who weren't panicked at the mere sight of geth. She reached out and patted a familiar emblem on its right breast plate, one that would guarantee Legion would not be confused with any other platform.

She raised her omnitool and began a scan. "Go ahead and move about a bit, Legion. I want to make sure we didn't miss anything."

"Affirmative," Legion said, and began to walk around the compartment, occasionally lifting a crate or crouching down to test its actuators and kinesthetic processes as Jacob looked on.

As Tali monitored Legion's movements, she noticed a new message on her omni, written in Khelish. Ship's comms were still under lockdown, so it wasn't from the Admiralty Board unless they somehow learned _Normandy's_ location, and what a fiasco that would be when Shepard found out if that were the case. But when she saw the sender's name, she groaned in her helmet. Kal'Reegar. She'd left him down in engineering, alone on an alien ship, for almost two hours. She read the message, sent an hour before.

_"Turning in after a long day. Found a bunk on the storage level. Glad to be back in your service, ma'am."_

Tali closed her eyes. With everything that happened, the escape from Dashta, her altercation with T'Vari, the disaster in engineering which claimed the lives of Ken and Thane... she'd lost herself completely in the simple pleasure of fixing something. But she couldn't justify forgetting a long-time friend like Kal. How could she to make it up to him?

A tap on her shoulder made her jump. She turned her head to see Jacob looking over her shoulder and she quickly shut off her omnitool, afraid of what he might think if he saw the message, even though he couldn't possibly read it. Then she realized he wasn't even looking at it. Instead, he pointed past her to the aft end of the compartment, mouth agape.

She followed his gaze and saw Legion standing in the window overlooking the drive core. _What's he doing,_ she wondered? _Does he see something down there? _She watched as Legion turned sideways, but his camera remained focused on the window. Her own jaw dropped.

The geth was looking at its own reflection. As they watched, Legion turned the other way, showing the bright red stripe painted down its right shoulder plate. It scanned itself once more, turned toward the glass, it's camera head pointing down, then back to the reflection once more. With mechanical precision, it traced the sharp black lines of the N7 logo on its breastplate with an alloy finger. Then, it took a step back and carefully squared its shoulders and feet to the glass and stood rigidly, as if at attention, as the two organics behind it stared in astonishment.

"Oh man," Jacob whispered. The look in Tali's eye told him she had to be thinking the same thing. "Tell me that's not pride."


	45. The Measure of a Man

_**A/N - Merry Christmas, happy holidays! With time off, I'm hoping to get in another chapter before the 26th. We'll see how that goes. **_

_**If you're interested in a peek at Legion 2.0, concept art can be found in my Deviant Art profile, ElectricZ.  
**_

_**electricz dot deviantart dot com/art/Legion-2-0-285508295**_

_**As usual, thanks for reading!  
**_

* * *

Shepard stood at the opening to _Normandy's_ mess, empty and quiet, with the only noise coming from Sergeant Gardner in the galley as he rattled his pots and pans. Most of the crew took advantage of the stand-down to get some much needed rest. Miranda's office door indicator showed _Do Not Disturb,_ and the shades had been lowered in the infirmary since their return from Dashta to give the handful of patients recuperating there some privacy. Whatever Gardner was serving actually smelled quite good, smelling of pastry and cooked meat, causing a low growl in Shepard's stomach. He took a step in but stopped short when he heard a voice come around the corner from the aft table. At first he didn't recognize it, until he realized it was Mobile Platform Two using its quarian simulating synthesizer.

"Geth interactions with Jack were experienced through Legion," Blue was explaining. "While her treatment of our mobile platform was generally negative, it was in line with the relationships she had with other members of the _Normandy_ crew. That is to say, she treated it no differently than anyone else. But she was a capable biotic and a valuable asset in battle."

Garrus sighed. "That's basically what I'm hearing from everyone on the ship. Good fighter, sorry she's dead, but..." his voice trailed off.

"Unclear on how this relates to Shepard," Mordin said.

"Well," Garrus said. "When Thane and the others died, it was just bad luck. But I think he believes that Jack's blood is on his hands."

Blue's artificial voice might not have been able to convey sympathy even if it meant it, but its words made its thoughts clear enough. "Jack was given every opportunity to stay with the ship, or depart with the rest of the crew. She chose to go it alone. This is not the Commander's fault."

Garrus sighed. "I... would recommend keeping that observation to yourself the next time you talk to him, Blue.. You see, it turns out Jack could have gotten away unnoticed. But instead of running, she holed up to send us the warning, and that's when they caught up to her. Shepard couldn't get to her in time."

"Oh my," Mordin said. "Had not heard that."

"Neither had I," said Blue. "But the fact remains that Commander Shepard was not responsible. Jack's actions got her killed, not the Commander. I still don't understand why didn't she stay with the crew."

"Suffered from severe attachment disorder," Mordin said. "Personal relationships nearly impossible to build. Progress with _Normandy_ crew slow but definite, especially with Commander Shepard. Believe she would have made significant strides, especially considering shared experience of victory at collector base, had she survived. Regrettable."

Shepard stared at the deck. The last actual conversation he had with Jack replayed in his mind, the bitterness in her voice, the betrayal in her eyes when she found out Shepard was still coordinating with the Illusive Man. It was no attachment disorder or the disdain for the crew that made her run away. No one else may have known it, but Shepard did. Jack was dead because of him. All of the sudden, he wasn't hungry any more. He was about to turn back for the lift when a hand touched his shoulder and it made him jump.

"Hey, Shep," Kasumi said as she peered around him into the galley with a grin. "Getting good dish?"

Shepard closed his eyes and willed his heart rate back below one-hundred twenty. The conversation in the galley stopped abruptly. He glared at the thief. "I swear... one of these days I'm going to put a bell around your neck."

"Come on, I wasn't even trying." Kasumi walked past. "I was just going to grab a bite. Care to join me?"

"Actually I was just heading back to CIC."

"Right," Kasumi said as she walked backwards into the galley. "Come on. Get some food. It actually smells edible."

"Hey," echoed Gardner's voice from the kitchen. "I'm old. I'm not deaf!"

Kasumi grimaced beneath her cowl and covered her mouth. "_As usual,_ I was about to say," she called over her shoulder, which got her a disbelieving grunt from the cook. Mordin, Garrus and Blue sat at the aft table, empty plates and glasses in front of the organics. Blue of course needed no food, but sat anyway much like Legion did whenever the crew gathered to engage in conversation. The three of them looked up upon her arrival.

"Hey guys," Kasumi said. "Mind if Shep and I join you?"

Mordin and Garrus looked about with panicked looks on their faces. Kasumi waved to Shepard around the corner, who shook his head and sighed. "Come on," she beckoned, "It's not like you can keep evesdropping now. That's _my _schtick, anyway."

Shepard flashed the thief a wane smile and walked slowly into view.

"Commander," Garrus said. How long had Shepard been listening? Though none of them had said anything that could be construed as remotely disparaging, he still fidgeted as though he'd been caught in the act.

"What's on the menu tonight?" Kasumi asked to fill the ensuing awkward silence.

Garrus pointed to his empty tray. "Well I had some leftover casserole. There's still some left in the fridge, if you like. Made it myself."

"Tempting," Kasumi contemplated the dextro's offer to poison her. "But I'd rather not spend the next week in the can. What did you have, Mordin?"

"Turkey pot pie," Mordin said. "However, DNA analysis of the meat shows no relation to the flightless fowl of Earth. In fact, genome present unlike any in known galaxy. Mess Sergeant Gardner has discovered new life form, or kitchen is in dire need of decontamination. Possibly both. Unsure which."

Gardner's voice drifted through the air once again. "Why does everyone act like I can't hear 'em?"

"Well," Kasumi said to Shepard. "Mystery meat is still meat as far as I'm concerned. What do you say we fight our way to the front of the line and find out?"

"Lead on," Shepard said with a wave, and followed Kasumi to the deserted serving station.

Garrus watched the two of them go. Kasumi was her usual, bubbly self as she talked to the cook, simultaneously berating Gardner and making him laugh at the same time, while Shepard stood by and waited patiently to get his food before returning to the table. They sat, and Kasumi and Mordin engaged in pleasant chit chat, with Garrus adding color commentary as necessary. But Garrus kept focused on Shepard. He watched the Commander pick at the pot pie without saying a word. Other than the occasional tired smile, Shepard didn't react to any of the conversation.

How many months did Garrus spend brooding after Shepard rescued him from Omega? In spite of all of the Commander's pep talks, bottles drained to the bottom, the bars they closed down, he hid in the forward battery because it was easier to face those goddamn fire control systems day after day than his shipmates. The machines, at least, had some hope of repair. If Kasumi caught Shepard skulking around the common areas of the ship, was only going to get worse if they didn't do something. In his own case, it just took time... and heroic levels of patience and understanding from his friends to snap him out of it.

Time hadn't yet had a chance to ease the pain, but under the circumstances time wasn't something for which any of them could wait. The rest of the ingredients were available, though. He tapped at the messenger on his omnitool. _You busy?_

_H__ey! _Tali wrote._ I've got something you HAVE to see! :) Can you come up to the Armory?_

_Can it wait?_ Garrus replied. _We're down in the galley. Shepard could use some company. And you're way better at cheering him up than I am.  
_

Tali's reply was almost instantaneous. Dropping Shepard's name was always the best way to get action out of the quarian. _What's wrong? Is he okay?  
_

_Feeling bad about Jack. I think he needs to see some friendly faces._

_I've got just the thing,_ Tali typed._ Don't let him go anywhere! He's going to LOVE this! Be there in a minute!_

_See you in a few,_ Garrus typed and closed the holo interface. He wasn't sure what could have Tali in such a boisterous mood, but it was just that kind of positive energy Shepard needed right now.

Minutes later, Jacob rounded the starboard hall from the main corridor. He stood at the head of the table and held up a hand until conversations stopped and all eyes were focused on him. "May I have your attention, please," he said, "It is my sincere pleasure to introduce to you, in his exclusive _Normandy SR-2 _debut:" he stepped aside and held his hand out behind him with a flourish. "Legion 2.0!"

From around the bend, a geth platform walked stiffly into view, Tali on its left, her arm intertwined with the machine's. Shepard, Garrus and even Mordin did a double take at the sight of the chief engineer parading around with one of Blue's support platforms, painted stark white and polished to a mirror shine. Except this one sported a wide red stripe on its left shoulder and an N7 emblem on its chest, complete with the red accent.

Shepard's brow furrowed with confusion. He saw similar expressions from Mordin and Garrus, and Blue's head flaps expanded and contracted slightly. While her friends wrestled to get their brains working again, Kasumi stood with a loud gasp and sidled next to Legion on the left, fanning her face. "Hubba, hubba! Who is this handsome devil?" She wrapped her other arm around the geth's waist and hiked one leg over its shin plate. "I declare, I may faint!"

"Identification failure," Legion intoned. "We have not been recognized. We are Legion. Our hardware platform has received external modifications. We are running unrevised software on our existing chassis but with upgraded armor components." It looked towards Tali. "Suggest immediate restoration of original components."

Garrus and Mordin smiled at the sight of the newly-repaired geth, and for the first time since coming back from Dashta, life seemed to return to Shepard's eyes as he finally figured out what he was seeing. He leaned back in his seat and looked Legion over from head to toe, adorned with two of his crew clinging to it as if it were a super star.

Kasumi tapped on Legion's arm so it turned back to her. "Don't you dare! You look_ great,_ Legion!"_  
_

"Back off, Goto," Tali winked and snaked her own arm around Legion's waist. "He's mine!"

"Hush now," Kasumi gave Tali a dismissive flip of her free hand before rubbing all over Legion's breast plate. "He's big enough for both of us, aren't you, Legion?"

Legion flapped its head plates as it was prone to do when confused by organic behavior.

"Now why doesn't this ever happen to me?" Garrus asked from the table.

Shepard stood and walked close to examine Legion's new armor. Everyone around the table, especially Legion, awaited his assessment. He pointed at the N7 emblem, his face a devoid of expression. "Decided to go with the same motif?"

Legion looked down at its chest, then back to Shepard, its headflaps widening slightly. "Yes. It is comprised of new composite, fabricated with the original armor components as part of its matrix."

"Huh," Shepard looked thoughtful. Tali stiffened. Should they have asked his permission? She hadn't given it much consideration in the armory, but Legion had used the old armor as a field-expedient repair after the Commander had been declared dead. Would Shepard have wanted it back, given the option? He kept his old helmet on the desk in his quarters, for some reason. _We should have asked,_ she thought.

"Why?" Shepard asked. Legion's limbs tensed, and its face plates contracted. Shepard held up a hand. "Right. 'No data available.'" He reached out and gave Legion a pat on its red-striped shoulder. "Doesn't matter. You earned it," he smiled and returned to his seat at the table.

Accompanied by a loud buzz, Legion's face plates expanded and contracted and it's camera whirled around. "Thank you, Shepard-Commander."

Standing next to the geth, Tali could almost hear 1,183 tiny voices inside cheering in unison. She watched Shepard return to his seat and go back to picking at his dinner and she leaned her head against Legion's arm. After such a subdued reaction, she knew Garrus hadn't been exaggerating about Shepard's condition.

Garrus was watching as well. He knew he had to keep the Commander talking if they were going to succeed. "I like it, but it's kind of... flashy, isn't it? I mean, as far as tactical armor goes. I can see myself in it from here."

Jacob shook his head. "No worries there. Gave him an active matrix crystalline finish on every plate. Check this out... Legion? Woodland."

Instantaneously, all of Legion's armored surfaces turned a mottled brown and green pattern, and the shiny finish turned matte before their eyes.

"Nice!" Kasumi's eyes widened with delight.

"Urban," Jacob said. Legion's armor plates turned to bands of fragmented slate and steel. "He can do almost any subtractive color to blend in with his surroundings and adjust reflectivity as needed."

"Polka dots!" Kasumi shouted. The geth's armor plates turned white once more, with gumball sized red dots arranged neatly all over each surface. "Oh, this is going to be _fun!"_

"Figured we'd give him a little extra something while we had him in the shop." Jacob said. "Not as good as a full cloak, but it uses almost no power. Of course the chassis and tubing underneath don't change color, and they can always just take aim at that big-ass headlight of his, but it should help keep him from catching sniper rounds in the future."

Legion's armor plates returned to their neutral, pearly white condition.

"Impressive," Garrus bowed his head slightly. "I wondered what was going on in the armory after I left. How'd you do it so fast?"

Tali patted Legion's arm. "The geth brought aboard spare parts to repair themselves after the boarding action, and Jacob fabricated anything that else we needed." She looked at Mobile Platform Two, still seated at the table, silent throughout the entire display of Legion's upgrades. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Blue responded in its synthesized female quarian voice. "Legion is a vital member of the crew and should be maintained accordingly. I think you did a very nice job."

Tali bristled at the sound. As Jacob showed Mordin and Kasumi the improvements in Legion's superstructure, she worked her way around the table to where the blue geth sat. "Um, I'm sorry... I thought we agreed you weren't going to use that voice any more."

Garrus smiled. "It gives her more personality, so I asked her to restore it. I like it."

"Only because you know I hate it," Tali glared at him. "This isn't like changing the presets on your visor, you bosh'tet!"

Across the table from them, Shepard sat back in his chair with a sigh and waited for the inevitable call for the referee.

Garrus looked at Tali, but addressed the geth. "What was it you called yourself, Blue?"

"Chil'Darre vas Normandy," the blue geth said, bowing its head to him.

Tali stamped her foot on the deck. "Garrus! Don't encourage it!"

"I know what the vas Normandy part means," Garrus said, "But where did you get the rest? Did someone name you?"

Blue's head flaps undulated as it spoke. "It's a descriptor. Many quarian names are based on family traits, going back generations, or traits the parents hoped their children might one day possess."

"Some humans do that too," Shepard said. The opportunity to learn something about their guest was too hard to pass up. "Hell, actually most of our names mean something if you look back far enough."

Tali sighed. Mordin, Kasumi and Jacob now huddled around the table, listening to their previously private conversation. And now that Shepard had joined in, there was no containing the damage. She was glad to see he had engaged, but wished it had been for some other reason. Only Legion stayed out of it, observing from behind.

"Yeah, okay then," Jacob shrugged. "So what does yours mean, Blue? I mean... Chil'Darre."

Tali still stood rigidly with her arms crossed and tried to keep from flinching with each word the geth spoke.

"It's a combination of Chil, 'blue', and Darre," Blue explained. "A common substitution used by quarians for geth adopted into their households. A geth you know, as opposed to one you don't."

"Fascinating," Mordin rubbed his chin. "Literally, _Blue Geth of Normandy."_

"Correct," Blue responded.

Shepard's eyes darted between Tali and the geth seated at the table. He'd seen that look in the quarian's eyes before. "That's a mouthful. Mind if we just keep calling you 'Blue'?"

"You may address me however you feel most comfortable, Commander."

"And maybe you should switch back to your regular voice. At least for now."

Tali unclenched her hands. "Thank you, Commander."

"Come on, Tali," Garrus tried to sound sympathetic, though he was clearly enjoying Tali's discomfort. "I think you're overreacting. She's making an effort here. It's an excellent idea. A person's voice, if you'll pardon the expression, is one of the first things someone notices. Don't you think?"

"It's... unnatural!"

"And what about EDI? You don't mind how she talks, do you?"

Tali's entire body tensed up. "It's not the same."

Garrus propped his elbow on the table and swiveled his chair to face the geth next to him. He rested his cheek on his hand as if chatting up Platform Two at a bar. "Definitely not. It's much sexier. Be a shame to let it go to waste. I say she should be allowed to keep it."

Tali's hands clenched at her side. It was bad enough that the rest of the crew thought the Blue's diplomatic protocol was cool, but Garrus wasn't just engaging Platform Two out of some sense of intellectual curiosity or enjoyment. He was doing it just to piss her off, and as usual he was succeeding. But she also knew that blowing up now might get Shepard to put a stop to it, but Garrus always played the long game and would come circling back on her later only ten times worse. All she could do was wait and hope someone changed the subject. _If you're lucky, maybe the reapers will show up and put an end to this,_ she thought.

Garrus' voice filled with a deep bass purr, one Tali had heard countless times when the turian had been on the prowl in clubs and bars throughout the galaxy. Other women swooned when they heard it, but it just made Tali think he had something caught in his throat. "You know," he said, "I swear I've heard it somewhere before. Are you someone famous? A singer, perhaps? Have you done anything I've heard?"

Blue cocked its head at Garrus. "It's quite possible. My voice is an exact reproduction of Lyella'Lassina nar Altensi, star of 'Fleet and Flotilla.'"

Garrus's smile froze.

"Are you familiar with the show?"

Like a bubble bursting, all the tension left Tali's body at once. She set her hand gently on Garrus's shoulder as she leaned over to look Blue in the eye, directly the turian's line of sight. "I take it back." She turned her head so she could stare the turian in the eyes, close enough for him to see the wicked smile behind her faceplate. "It's perfect. Please, continue to use it."

Around the table, smiles dawned on the faces of the squad members present. Even Shepard couldn't prevent a wide grin from spreading across his face.

Across from him, Mordin wore an expression of unbridled, insincere enthusiasm. "Should ask for autograph. 'To Garrus Vakarian, my number one fan! XOXOX'"

Jacob grabbed the turian's shoulders from behind. "Aww, no! This can't be right! My man here just likes the _music!"_

Kasumi reached underneath Jacobs arms and gave Garrus a hug, all through which the turian kept his face buried in his hand. "I knew it!" Kasumi squealed. "Garrus is Team Lyella!"

In spite of being shaken by Jacob and squeezed by Kasumi, Garrus kept his posture and slowly opened his eyes to see Tali beaming back at him.

"Thank you, Garrus," Tali said. "Thank you _so much_ for helping me to be more understanding. I will treasure this moment _forever."_

Amidst the laughter that ensued, Garrus leaned past the gloating quarian to look at Blue. "I know you didn't choose that voice at random. By any chance, did someone in this room suggest it? A certain quarian standing very close to me right now, perhaps?"

Tali smacked the turian on the back of his head below his fringe. "Oh right, it was totally my idea. Idiot!"

"It wasn't Tali," Blue confirmed. "But thank you for convincing her to change her mind."

Garrus rubbed the spot where Tali cuffed him and looked at the faces surrounding him. Most of the likely suspects were here. "Then who was it? I need to start working on an airtight alibi."

Blue turned its head towards the other geth in the room. "It was Legion's idea."

All eyes turned to the white geth who stood alone at the head of the table.

"Query," Legion asked. "What is a 'man card?'" Even after living with the geth for months, sometimes its inquiries still seemed random and incomprehensible to the organic crew who now looked at each other with confusion. But before any of them could answer, Legion turned its camera-eye squarely on the turian. "And why does Vakarian-Garrus no longer possess one?"

"Oh shit," Shepard whispered. He stood, took a step away, then turned back and to point at Legion, all while laughing uncontrollably. "Holy shit. He set you up. _Legion set you up!"  
_

"Affirmative," Legion's head flaps rippled.

The laughter in the galley had been loud before, but Garrus's ears now rang with the exaltation of his friends as they celebrated his humiliation at the hands of the geth. Tali clapped her hands and bounced over to her mechanical champion to give it a giant hug as Mordin stood upright from his chair and applauded as if at the theater, soon to be joined by everyone else in the mess. Though hard to hear over the ensuing noise, Garrus could make out quite clearly Kasum's hummed rendition of "Fire in the Courtyard."

Blue, however, just sat in its chair. Its sensors recorded all of the interactions, registered bio stats of all the crew and logged them for future upload when it was able to resume contact with the network. Of most interest was Mobile Platform One. Its behavior had become increasingly erratic during its stay on the _Normandy,_ and had it now used subterfuge to create conflict amongst the _Normandy_ crew. But instead of reacting with hostility, they embraced it. Blue cocked its head in an imitation of confusion as Tali hugged Legion, as she and the other organics at the table ignored the platform whose sole purpose was to provide an interface between them and the geth.

"You know," Shepard said, leaning against the table after managing to stop laughing. "I've never actually seen it. We should have a screening sometime."

"Oh, yes!" Kasumi exclaimed. "Movie Night!"

Shepard looked thoughtful. "If only we knew someone who had a copy. Garrus? Can you hook us up?"

"I..." Garrus clenched his mandibles and slowly peeled Kasumi's arms from around his waist. "...will be in the battery if anyone needs me. Excuse me."

Tali waved to Garrus as he left, but he did not acknowledge her. When she looked back at Shepard, he was up as well and on his way to her. He smiled at the sight of the quarian engineer with her arm around the geth's waist. It was the kind of smile that always made Tali weak in the knees and her mind turn to mush, and the ventilator in her helmet gave a brief whine as it stepped up to compensate for her rising body temperature. She was ecstatic that Garrus had gotten his comeuppance, but nothing made her happier than seeing Shepard happy.

"Legion," Shepard said, holding out his right hand palm up. "Gimme three. Didn't know you had it in you." The geth slapped its hand into Shepard's, then held it out so Shepard could return the gesture.

Tali blinked. She wasn't sure what the motions were all about but had seen it many times amongst the human crew. "When did you teach him that?"

"Wasn't me," Shepard said. "Don't know where he got it, but I saw him high-fiving Ken last week. Always picking up new things, aren't you, Legion?"

Tali glanced over to Jacob, who smiled and grinned back. If she tried to explain what she and Jacob saw in the Armory, Legion's reaction to his own reflection, would Shepard believe her? Her eyes then fell to Blue, still seated at the table. Even with its advanced communication protocols and ability to imitate quarian body language, the blue geth still seemed as cold and devoid of feeling as the standard platforms accompanying it on the ship.

But Legion? He ambled about like a budget model LOKI mech and used a vocoder that was outdated centuries ago, but ever since the day she brought it back online in Mordin's lab after it sacrificed itself to save the Commander she couldn't think of it as anything less than a person. _If they're all the same,_ she wondered, _why didn't they act like it? _She trusted Legion with her life and the safety of the ship. Blue fought alongside her and Commander Shepard through Dashta's corridors, and the standard platforms were instrumental in repelling the boarding attempt on the ship. So why didn't she think of them the same way?

A hatch whooshed open behind her somewhere. It barely registered with Tali, still focused on the difference between the geth platforms, until she saw Shepard look behind her as well. The bright sparkle in his eye disappeared, as did the smile on his face. She turned to follow where the others were looking.

"You find something?" Shepard asked.

Miranda walked from her quarters with a datapad in her hand. Behind her, Enlea T'Vari stood close to the door, trying not to look at the gathered crew. "Commander," Miranda said, her expression dour. For some reason, her eyes kept flitting back to Tali as she approached, who scowled back at her every time. "It wasn't the asari that hit us at Dashta. Even though we were being tracked, they didn't have any advanced knowledge of where we would be."

"Then who was it?" Shepard asked.

Miranda's eyes locked with the quarian next to him. "We need to talk to Kal'Reegar."

Tali crossed her arms. She and Miranda had made great progress in their mutual antipathy, partially through having saved each others' lives a dozen times over, but mainly by staying out of each others' way. But every now and then something would still put the two on a collision course. And when it came to her friends, there was no way Tali would ever give up ground. "Concerning what?"

Miranda did not shy away from Tali's angry stare. "Whether or not your people led us into the ambush at Dashta."


	46. All in the Family

Enlea had mixed feelings about returning to the conference room. The first time she set foot here, she witnessed what might be the most important discovery in galactic history as Commander Shepard revealed to the Citadel the full danger of the impending reaper invasion. Much as she wished she could go back in time and erase the horrible visions of what was to come, the most powerful militaries in the galaxy now knew of the threat and were working together to come up with a defense.

It was that first encounter that lead directly to her return to the _Normandy_, though her second visit was far less cordial. Admittedly, she had come aboard to warn Shepard and his crew of what amounted to an execution order. The revelation that it was intended as a safety measure to keep the geth and quarians apart was what really complicated the matter. Only timely intervention by Shepard prevented his quarian engineer from stabbing her in the heart, then being choked to death by a rampaging geth.

Now, she carefully positioned herself on the opposite side of the table from the volatile quarian. Flanked by Miranda and Garrus, with the blue geth and Professor Solus as an additional buffer, Enlea hoped that would be enough to prevent any more physical altercations, especially if the stated reason for her mission turned out to be true. She watched Tali pace back and forth in front of a shiny white geth which panned its head to follow her. Fortunately, Shepard had the good sense not to invite the monstrosity with the giant hole in its chest. She massaged her bruised throat and tried to forget the feel of its cold, crushing grip on her neck.

"Well?" Tali stopped and stared at Miranda.

"Just a moment," Miranda said as she prepared a series of graphs and charts on the table's holo panel for projection.

"If you're not ready, then why are we wasting our time here?"

"We are waiting for Commander Shepard. We will proceed when he arrives. Calm down, Tali. Please."

"You tell everyone my people tried to have us killed, and expect me to be calm?"

"Yes," Miranda didn't look up from her screen. "I do."

"Ladies," Garrus said, his voice calm. "Let's be friends."

Tali rolled her eyes at the turian and resumed her pacing as Legion looked on.

Shepard stomped through the hatch. The Commander was never one to wear his heart on his sleeve, but it was apparent to everyone present that he was _pissed. _"All right, Jacob's sitting on Reegar. Show us what you got, Miranda."

Miranda brought up projection showing a horizontal line with annotations at various positions. "In figuring out who was behind the attack, we had to work backwards. This is a timeline of the events surrounding our arrival at Dashta and the battle itself. But there are several key events prior that need to be examined: Yesterday, 27 November, 1625 ship time. Jack calls the ship, warning us of the impending attack. This is Zero hour. Note that the _Normandy_ has been docked at Dashta for less than forty minutes."

Shepard leaned against the table, his knuckles white from the pressure exerted on them.

"Before that," Miranda pulled up the ship's data recorder showing the ship's flight path, "again, working backwards. T-Minus one hour, fifteen minutes. We broke from Sahrabarik after eluding both the Alliance and Citadel fleets on our way to Erinle. According to the information in Enlea's omnitool, this is the absolute earliest anyone at the Citadel or her handlers on Thessia could have been aware of our destination. The _Vellius _was ordered there after the fact, after the battle was underway. Flight data and communications records confirm this."

Miranda shifted the pointer to the left on the line and pages from the ship's log scrolled before the assembled party. "The next event prior: T-Minus two hours, forty-seven minutes. Commander Shepard orders the _Normandy _to make ready to depart to Erinle and collects travel requests for departing crew. This is key because it's the point at which the decision to go to Erinle was made. I believe this event precludes the possibility of anyone aboard the _Normandy_ for being the source of the leak, for reasons which will soon become clear. Prior to this, _no one_, including the Commander knows where we are going. Except..."

The pointer shifted once more. "The Admiralty Board of the quarian Migrant Fleet. T-Minus three hours, fifty-one minutes. Tali'Zorah is contacted by Admiral Han'Gerrel and asked to bring the geth to the Flotilla to engage in face-to-face negotiations. As the _Normandy_ has been banned from from approaching the Flotilla, the quarians arranged a rendezvous at Dashta Interchange Station. At this point, Admiral Gerrel and the other members of the Board are the only ones to know where the rendezvous will take place."

She turned to the turian. "Garrus, how large of a force do you estimate that engaged us on Dashta?"

"Hmm," Garrus performed some quick mental calculations. "Total? Two hundred, maybe two-twenty with heavy weapons and mech support. Except it wasn't one cohesive unit. That's important to note."

"That's correct." Miranda touched a key and projected a slideshow of images taken from the squad's gun cameras and drone feeds. "Eclipse, Blue Suns, and Blood Pack. All working together."

"All right, we knew that." Shepard said. "Get to the point."

Miranda noted the impatience in Shepard's tone but still looked at Garrus. If she didn't present her methodology first, she knew the conclusion would not sit well with at least one person in the room. "So if the Hierarchy had to get that many troops to Dashta to intercept us, how would they do it? Again, their best troops."

"That would be the Rapid Reaction Force," Garrus said, "3rd Battalion, First Regiment, out of Digeris. Six companies, each with three platoons of vacc infantry with an attached mechanized section. They're always three on alert, and they can deploy to any system with a relay and be ready for action within four hours of receiving orders. That's who they'd send."

Miranda brought up the time line once more. "So, hypothetically, if the turians had intercepted Gerrel's transmission, an element of the RRF would have been ready to engage us... nine minutes after we arrived."

Garrus rested his arms against the table as he studied the timeline. "Give or take, depending on if they caught all the lights."

"For the sake of thoroughness," Miranda glanced at Tali as she pulled up a Cerberus organizational diagram. "A Cerberus mechanized assault team: similar in composition to an RRF, shock troops with Atlas heavy mechs, specializing in boarding actions. Best simulation time puts them on site... twelve minutes after we got there."

Shepard pointed at the screen. "But we weren't attacked by Cerberus or the Hierarchy. We're trying to figure out if the Admiralty Board sold us out. What's this tell us?"

"Bear with me, Shepard," Miranda said. "These figures provide valuable context."

Tali scowled and shook her head. "You said it yourself, we were docked for forty minutes. That, plus the fact Erinle is just one jump away from Omega gave the mercenaries plenty of time."

"I think see what she's getting at," Garrus said. "There wasn't a single sign that there was going to be an attack. They were in place, well hidden and ready long before we set foot on that station. And these aren't elite units we're talking about here. These are mercenaries of varying levels of professionalism. Eclipse's best could pull off a quick strike like that but only if they utilized all of their finest operators. Blue Suns, same, but they'd have half the amount of troops that could qualify. But the Blood Pack? Those idiots couldn't organize a happy hour in four hours' time."

Garrus studied the timeline. "And all three of them working together? Coordinating transportation of troops and materials, setting up communications, hell just accounting for fights amongst themselves, they would have been lucky to get that a force like they fielded ready to go inside of a day."

Miranda nodded as she scrolled the timeline back to the beginning, to the first point marked with an X. "Which brings us to the inciting event. T-Minus twenty-six hours. Hypothetical time based on known composition of enemy forces to plan an ambush, transport and deploy three separate mercenary groups once they were informed of our destination. This was when the attack was orchestrated. Given our adversaries, there is no way it could have been conceived and executed in any less time. It's just not possible."

Shepard eyed the figures on the screen then looked at his XO. "So whoever did knew we would be there a day in advance."

"But how is that possible?" Jacob pointed at the timeline. "_We_ didn't know we'd be there until four hours before it happened. How could anybody set up an ambush like that the day before? They bring in fortune tellers?"

"They wouldn't have to," Miranda explained. "All they would need is is a compelling reason for us to go there and keep some control over the timing on their end so we wouldn't ruin the ambush by showing earlier than expected."

Mordin sniffed. "Such as delivering an envoy to peace negotiations."

"Precisely."

Still pacing, Tali couldn't look anyone in the eye. So far, she was able to explain away what she had seen, but the cold feeling in the pit of her stomach seemed to be spreading by the minute. "So? All that proves is that that the Admirals' security was penetrated earlier than we thought."

Garrus shook his head. "Tali's right. The entire quarian communication network was compromised a week before any of this happened. Could be they didn't plug all the leaks, or someone," he looked at Enlea, "with an interest in the matter found another way in. All I'm saying is that anyone could have intercepted internal communications and tipped off the people that attacked us. This is not the smoking heat sink we're looking for."

Most of the time, Garrus's cold, analytical side drove Tali crazy, but at that moment she could have hugged him. She glared at Miranda across the table. "That's right. For all we know, it could have been Cerberus."

"Tali, this is nothing personal," Miranda sighed. "We need to look at every possibility, and yes that includes Cerberus. But right now, the evidence suggests the quarian Admiralty Board, or someone close to them." She turned to Shepard. "But my gut tells me that Dashta started with them."

Shepard reached down and keyed the intercom. "Jacob? Send Reegar in."

_"Aye, sir."_

The briefing room hatch split open. Jacob stepped aside and waved Kal'Reegar through. He looked at the grim expressions worn by his ship mates, except for the Commander who had his back turned, hunched over the table. "Sir?"

"Commander," Reegar stood at attention inside the door. He, too, noticed the strained expressions as well as the presence of a new geth platform, this one white, standing next to Tali'Zorah. Having been rousted from sleep only minutes before, he couldn't help but wonder what he'd missed to cause such a change in the crew's demeanor.

"Kal," Shepard turned, his eyes dark with anger. "I need to know what your orders at Dashta were. I don't care who gave them to you or how confidential they may be."

The quarian marine looked him in the eye. "Same as I told you when we were on the station. Look after Tali'Zorah, sir. Other than that, I was just along for the ride."

"Do you have any idea when the _Giraf_ received orders to go to Dashta?"

Reegar looked again at Tali, who seemed to be trying to bore a hole through his skull with her eyes as she steadied herself against the chair in front of her. "Couldn't tell you, sir. I was just a passenger. _Giraf_ happened to be on the rotation for transport duty when the call came in, and that was about two hours before we got to Erinle. Could have been any ship, really."

Tali let out the breath she'd been holding.

Shepard leaned against the table with his arms folded in front of him. "What about Rilos? When did you link up with him?"

Reegar thought back. "He met me at the docking bay about an hour before we took off. Sorry, Shepard. I'm pretty low on the distro list when it comes to these things. What is it you're looking for?"

Shepard turned to the timeline and rubbed the back of his neck. Their hottest lead was cooling in a hurry. "Trying to figure out the earliest point anyone knew we'd be at Dashta."

"Ha. That I _can _tell you." Reegar nodded. "At least for me. Day before."

Shepard whirled around to face the quarian. Everyone around the table perked up, and Tali's hands now gripped the cushion on the chair so tight that she pierced the leather. "The day before. How do you know?"

"Admiral Gerrel contacted me himself. I'd been doing nothing but leading combat drills after I shot my mouth off at the trial. Past few days, ever since the negotiations started actually, it's been really intense. They've been working the hell out of everybody. Out of nowhere, Gerrel calls and apologizes for putting me on a shit detail and says he has an important job and I'm the only one he can trust to do it. He said we were picking up Tali and her friend Legion and bringing them back to the Fleet. I'd get out of corralling machinists and repair techs that haven't touched a weapon since basic, get out of the crosshairs of the brass, and get to see and old friend all at the same time. So I was happy to do it. Besides, when an Admiral taps you for an op, you don't say no."

"When," Shepard said. "When exactly did he contact you?"

Reegar pulled up his omnitool. "Let's see. Day ninety-one of this cycle. Fifteen hundred hours. That significant?"

Miranda plugged the figures into the timeline. The calendar program converted the quarian fleet time to match the _Normandy's._ A dot showed up left of the X mark on the timeline. "T-minus twenty-eight hours, eleven minutes."

The hairs on the back of Shepard's neck stood straight. "Son of a bitch."

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Sorry, didn't mean you. Miranda, pull up the roster."

"No," Tali shook her head slowly. "No. This isn't right. This can't be right..."

"What's going on, ma'am?" Reegar asked. "What's this all about?"

Miranda pulled the ship's roster on the main holo, pulled from the omnitool of the mercenary killed just outside of the cockpit during the boarding action. "Mister Reegar, does this mean anything to you?"

Reegar scanned the names and numbers on the screen. "Looks like someone tallied up the value of everything you've shot up and put the price tag around your neck. Wait, that can't be right, Shepard. You came in second to Vakarian?"

Garrus stretched his elbows behind his back. "He did indeed."

"You're slipping, Commander."

"Dashta wasn't a random attack," Shepard said sharply. "It was a hit, and we were the targets. Every merc group in the Terminus came gunning for us. Someone tipped them off that we'd be there."

"Damn," Reegar looked at the names again, many of whom he considered friends. His eyes fell on Tali'Zorah's, with three million credits logged as her bounty. He straightened to full height in his suit. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get some payback."

Shepard studied the marine in front of him. They'd only met a few times, but in the field or in the Flotilla, Reegar proved to be an honorable man. While the Admiralty Board and the Conclave were busy tearing Tali's life in the fleet apart, he was one of two quarians to stand by her side. _Besides, _he thought, _Reegar didn't hesitate to say when he'd received the orders. If he were in on it, he would have tried to hide it. _He leaned back against the table arms across his chest. "There's a strong possibility that someone is on the Admiralty Board."

Reegar laughed behind his mask. "What? You're joking, right?" He looked at Tali who shook her head with tears glittering around her glowing eyes.

"I wish I were."

"Wait, this doesn't make any sense," Reegar stammered. "I mean, why kill you? You're about the only friends outside the fleet we've got."

"The Admirals don't seem to think so."

"Well sure. You were a five-star ass to 'em at the trial. But they had it coming, and everybody knows it. You think they'd kill you for making them look bad? They'd have to take each other out, first. I don't buy it."

Miranda pointed to the timeline. "Based on the information we have, they are the only ones with knowledge of our whereabouts who were in a position where they could have made this attack happen."

Garrus lowered his gaze. "Which means they have means and opportunity... But not motive. Before we go making any wild accusations, we need to be sure."

"Excuse me," Enlea raised her hand slightly. She had been silent up to this point, not wanting to attract any attention to herself. "Um, excuse me. If I may suggest something. Just a theory. You may not have been the target of this raid."

Jacob pointed to the bounty screen. "What the hell are you talking about? Our names are right in front of you!"

The asari kept her focus on the projection. "Miranda. Could you bring up the station schematic at the beginning of the battle?" The main projection switched Dashta's triple-ladder configuration. Enlea pointed out features as we spoke. "When we approached the station, _Normandy _was under attack from ships docked here, here, and here. Plus this vessel here, which was jamming your communications. The one Captain Artuis destroyed. And these dots represent the location of your crew?"

"That's right," Shepard said.

"So this half was the kill zone," Enlea gestured to the dots near the center of the station, surrounded by hostile forces. She looked back at the far end where the quarian ship was docked, with four dots outside it's airlock. "Who was down here? Why would they try to separate this group from the rest?"

"That's Blue, Tali, Legion and myself." Shepard said.

Mordin shook his head rapidly. "Unsure of where this is going. With _Normandy_ under attack, killing Shepard would have been highest priority."

Garrus cleared his throat. "Second highest, as it turned out."

Shepard's eyes darkened as he stared at the station schematic. "Except the quarians didn't know I was going to be there. I invited myself. They were just expecting Legion and Tali."

"Perhaps it was them they wanted," Enlea said, glancing about nervously, "and they just wanted the rest of you out of the way."

"That's ridiculous," Tali stammered.

"Again, I have to ask why," Garrus said. "I mean, no offense to Tali, but look at the lengths they took to oust her from the Fleet. And Legion? Sure, he's a snappy dresser now, but what use would he have been to them? He's running an outdated firmware that's no longer supported by the manufacturer, if you know what I mean?"

"Yeah but they didn't know that," Shepard jabbed at the air with his finger. "They don't know the geth rewrote themselves to be more secure. Think about it... After the geth network got hacked, they fell back to the Veil and disappeared. As far as the Admirals knew, Legion was the only geth left roaming the Terminus, and he was with us." He turned to Tali and Legion. "Remember back at the _Giraf? _Rilos and Captain Carn didn't care about me or even Blue. They forbade us from coming aboard. All they cared about Legion."

"And Tali," Kal'Reegar couldn't keep his eyes from the room's only other quarian. She stood as stunned and demoralized as that day aboard the _Rayya _when she was made the scapegoat for a calamity that killed her father and nearly brought ruin to the entire Fleet. Except this time the man who defended her now acted the part of the prosecutor.

Shepard didn't even look at his downtrodden engineer. Instead, he remained focused on the marine. "Admiral Gerrel asked you to look out for her, didn't he? In case there was trouble? Tell me, is Gerrel psychic? Did he have some kind of premonition? It came to him in a dream? Or did he know something was about to go down and wanted to keep his best friend's daughter out of the line of fire?"

Tali looked up at the bounty list. Both she and Legion were on it, but Shepard was right. They had been nowhere near the fighting and had several opportunities to retreat to the _Giraf _and escape. Sweat dribbled down her forehead. Could the Admirals have been responsible for this mess? She gripped the back of the chair tighter as the room spun around her. If the Admiralty Board really was behind the attack, that meant the man who was more of a father to her than her real father had been was responsible for almost destroying everything she held most dear. Her ship, her friends... and possibly the last hope her people had of making peace. Worse, it meant they never wanted peace to begin with.

Her eyes flitted down the crew roster, each name with a cash value attached to it. Garrus, Kasumi, Joker... Shepard. Names of her friends, names of her _family._ People whom she subconsciously added "vas Normandy" to the end of their names, even Miranda. Her eyes began to tear up again.

"So what was the end game, then?" Garrus asked. "Even if Legion was running the latest version of GethOS and they succeeded in grabbing him, then what? He could have just switched off and erased himself, we'd be dead and the whole damn thing would have been for nothing. Do you really think they'd risk so much for so little gain?"

Shepard's lips thinned as he moved to the head of the table next to Miranda and the table's console. His personal mailbox appeared on the holo, and he scrolled through hundreds of messages. Names of people and places flashed by. Illium. The Citadel. Admiral Hackett. The Illusive Man. Shepard stopped on a message sent just days before the _Normandy's _voyage through Omega Four. He opened it up on the main display for all to see. "Maybe they figured a way around that. The last time we left the Flotilla, one of the Admirals was kind enough to send me a little thank you note for all we did for them."

_From: Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh_

_ Shepard vas Normandy,_

_ I've been digging through the _Alarei_. Just wanted you to know that I did find a few things from the experiments Rael'Zorah was conducting. Had you shared them with me, humanity might have reaped the benefits. Instead, once my own experiments are complete, you and your people will watch from a distance as the quarian people reclaim not just their homeworld, but the largest synthetic army in the galaxy. Rael'Zorah's death will not have been in vain. I will complete what he started._

_ Cordially,_

_ Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh_

"Holy hell," Garrus winced. He looked at the two geth, who seemed transfixed as they read the message. He turned back to Shepard, whose face was turning crimson beneath the room's soft lights. "I have a feeling she's going to regret having sent that."

Blue's facial plates expanded to their maximum extension. It spoke in a harsh, mechanical tone, once again sounding like Legion. "Shepard-Commander. Request relocating within proximity of a comm relay as soon as possible. We must notify the collective. Negotiations must be terminated immediately."

"Understood," Shepard said. "Meet me in CIC. I'll be there in a minute."

"Thank you, Shepard-Commander."

Enlea watched the blue geth stare at the Admiral's message up until the point it vanished when Miranda killed the holo. It turned towards her and paused as if seeing her for the first time. Though it was smaller than the platform which attacked her, she found herself stepping back involuntarily. She gave it a nervous wave as it walked silently past. "Love the color."

With no post on the ship and without any instructions on what she should do to help, she stood by the table and waited for either Miranda or Shepard to tell her. She looked back across the table to see the purple-clad quarian still holding onto the chair in front of her as if in shock. Enlea looked quickly away, but it was too late.

"Congratulations," Tali looked down at the table. "Looks like you were right all along."

"I'm..." _sorry,_ Enlea was about to say, but she didn't know if it would come off sincerely or if it was even welcome. But after seeing in Miranda's files what acts of treachery her own leaders were capable of, she actually meant it. "I'm sorry."

Shepard turned back to his crew. "Department heads, tend to your departments. Let's get ready to move. EDI, contact the _Vellius. _Let them know we're about to get underway."

"Aye, Commander."

"Wait a minute, Shepard," Reegar held out a hand to block the blue geth's progress towards the hatch, but it walked quickly around without a second glance. He moved next to the human. "What are you going to do? Nothing stupid, I hope."

"First priority is making sure that the geth know to cut off all communications with the quarian fleet."

"That's not what I meant. What are you going to do about the Admirals?"

Shepard turned to face Reegar as his crew filed out the door around them. For an instant, an image flashed in Shepard's mind of Admiral Xen lying on the ground at his feet, writhing, covered in blood after having every last one of Jack's tattoos carved into her envirosuit with a switchblade. "I haven't worked that out yet."

* * *

_Tali leaned her head against the Kodiak's window and watched ships of all shapes and tonnages slip by. There was the  
_Hartono, _the massive elcor bulk freighter that had been converted completely to living quarters for over eight thousand quarian families. The Z_aggorn, _a hanar bioship, essentially a gigantic, cylindrical space going aquarium which now stored water for almost a quarter of the Flotilla. Then they passed the _Olionna, _a passenger liner used during the earliest days of the Geth Uprising to evacuate quarians from Rannoch. It made dozens of trips to the surface and back, carrying countless thousands of quarians to what was supposed to be temporary refuge until the homeworld could be reclaimed. She shifted in her seat and pushed a worn fabric sack further under her chair with her legs, the single memento from the Fleet she chose to bring with her into exile.  
_

_Looking aft, she saw a giant white crescent moon receding behind them. The, _Rayya_, her birthship, it's giant biodome slowly spinning, giving the massive ship the impression it was rolling through space. She felt a hand tugging at her wrist. Garrus, in the seat next to her, reached across her lap for her omnitool. He'd probably been talking for some time, she realized. _

_"That ship was crawling with geth," Garrus said. "There's no way your father didn't know what was going on. You collected half a dozen data logs. Surely you must have found something. Maybe you should let me take a look at them. I don't know, maybe we can call for a mistrial or something."  
_

_Tali pushed his hand away and turned back to the window. "There's nothing there."  
_

_"We can _not_ give up," __Garrus said. "Commander, are you really going to stand by and let them do this to her?"_

_Shepard glared at the turian from across the aisle on the aft bench. "It's out of my hands, Garrus. Leave it alone"  
_

_"But, Shepard-"  
_

_"I said let it go."  
_

_Tali looked at Shepard and their eyes met briefly. She mouthed 'thank you,' even though he couldn't see it because of the infernal mask she was forced to wear around any other species. But it was too late. Shepard's shifted his gaze out the window looking forward, his face empty and defeated.  
_

_"Well," Garrus put his hand on Tali's knee. "For what it's worth. "I'm glad they're letting you stay with us. The ship wouldn't be the same without you. You're a credit to the name."  
_

_"Thank you," Tali sniffed. Once again, she tried to meet Shepard's eyes with her own, but he stayed focused on the view out the window.  
_

_"Rolston," he said, "What's our ETA?"  
_

_The pilot sounded disappointed. "Ah, thirty-five minutes, sir. We're having keep it well under max V because of Fleet navigational restrictions."  
_

_"All right, don't get us pulled over." Shepard's brow furrowed as if deep in thought. "Excuse me," he said and before walking forward to the cockpit.  
_

_Garrus shook his head as he watched the Commander go, an astonished look on his face. "What is happening here?"  
_

_Tali sighed and turned back to the window. The shuttle's trajectory had carried the _Rayya_ out of view. __She wondered briefly if she would ever see it with her own eyes again.__ She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh as exhaustion finally delivered a peace she knew she wasn't likely to find anywhere else._

_When she opened her eyes again, Garrus was shaking her shoulder. "Hey," he said. "We're back."  
_

_Tali looked out the window at the wall of _Normandy's _hangar. _So begins the first day of exile,_ she thought. Though compared to others who suffered the same fate, she had to admit she could have ended up somewhere much, much worse. She leaned down to pick up her sack, then stood and walked towards the shuttle's equipment locker in the aft compartment._

_Shepard stood and rotated his right arm and shoulder. "Leave it," he said, referring to their stowed gear. "We'll get it later. I want to get out of this suit."  
_

_"Me too," Garrus said with a loud sigh, sounding uncharacteristically defeated compared to his earlier fire. "Been a long day."  
_

_"Aye, sir," Tali stepped towards the exit and opened the hatch. All she wanted to do was get back to her quarters, throw herself on the bed and cry herself to sleep. The last thing she wanted to do was break down in front of Shepard, or worse, Garrus. She'd never hear the end of it. She jumped down the stairs to the deck and hurried towards the elevator with her eyes downcast when a wall of sound stopped her in her tracks. At first she thought her exterior microphones had shorted out with white noise, until she saw the source in front of her.  
_

_Standing between her and the elevator stood the entire company and crew of the _Normandy_ in dress uniforms for the Cerberus side and whatever passed for formal for the squad. And they were all applauding. She turned around to look at what they were cheering to see Shepard and Garrus coming up behind her, both with smiles on their face. Shepard pointed upwards and aft, motioning for the confused quarian to follow his gaze._

_Across the pane glass windows overlooking the hangar deck hung a giant banner, written in two-meter tall Fleet Standard script. "Welcome Aboard Tali'Zorah vas Normandy"  
_

_"Keelah," Tali murmured and clutched her bag to her chest as as she was suddenly surrounded by wide open arms smiling faces. The men and women of the ship hugged her and patted her on the back, rotating as efficiently ships of the Migrant Fleet on maneuver, until a loud, piercing voice rose above the din.  
_

_"All right, everyone," Miranda shouted. "Stand at ease. At ease!" The throng around Tali opened in front of the Cerberus operative, and she approached Tali holding a thin book in her hand. Yeoman Chambers was right behind her, a huge smile on her face.  
_

_"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy," Miranda said. "it is my duty as executive officer of the vessel whose name you now bear to officially log your name into the ship's registry." She presented the book she carried to the quarian.  
_

_Tali took it into her hands. __It was bound with stiff cardboard, with a mottled black and white pattern on its cover. She flipped it open from the back and leafed through dozens of pages of blank graph paper. When she got to the front, a taped-in page unfurled, containing a list of hand scrawled words in languages she couldn't begin to recognize, next to quarian labels translating them into names she would never forget._  


___"It's actually one of Mordin's lab books," Kelly smiled. "It's the best we could come up with on such short notice!"  
_

___"No, it's wonderful." Tali whispered, trying to keep her hands from shaking as she looked over the roster. "Absolutely perfect!"  
_

___"Looks like we're missing someone," Shepard said over her shoulder. He pointed at the page near the top.. "It's not official until you sign in. Anybody got a pen?"  
_

___Kelly bowed her head and produced a disposable ball-point. "Allow me, ma'am," she said as she traded it to Tali for the book and held it open for her.  
_

___Tali looked where Shepard had been pointing. Five spaces down was a blank line next to the name "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy" in a quarian font. She paused briefly to look at the names above. Commander Shepard, Joker, Doctor Chakwas and Garrus had signed above, all members of the original crew of the SR-1. Below were the rest of the crew and squad in the order they joined.  
_

___Tali choked back a sob with a joyous laugh. "And of course you had to put my name under Garrus's!"  
_

___"Where it belongs," Garrus shrugged, standing behind Shepard. "I've got at least three day's seniority."  
_

___The echo of laughter died and the hangar fell silent as the quarian signed into the makeshift ledger. Miranda took the book from Kelly's hand and inspected it as if she could read the alien script. She nodded to Shepard, then actually smiled at Tali.  
_

___"Welcome aboard, Miss vas Normandy," she said, and handed the notebook to the stunned engineer. "It's yours to keep."  
_

___A deafening cheer filled the compartment, and once again Tali was surrounded by dozens of arms alternately hugging her or slapping her on the back. They came and went so fast she could hardly see who had grabbed her next, until one particular person held on a little _too long. 

_"Is your suit pressurized ma'am," Kenneth said as he caressed her back, "because it feels very firm in the hind quarters!"  
_

_"Dammit Ken!" Gabby pinched the Scotsman by his ear and yanked downward, and he released his grip immediately. "Don't ruin this!"  
_

_"Ach," Ken said, doubled over. "What're ya doin', woman? You 'bout pulled the whole bloody lobe off!"  
_

_Gabby shoved her partner aside and gave Tali a solid hug, which the quarian tearfully returned. "I'm so glad you're back, boss!" The human said as she squeezed, then released so the next person in line could advance. "I couldn't handle going back to just me and him!"_

_Tali laughed as she found herself looking up into green skin and pitch black eyes. She used to find the drell's appearance frightening, but having gotten to know Thane the past few months, she could not remember meeting anyone as polite and urbane, no matter the circumstances. "Miss vas Normandy," he said with a slight bow. "Your predecessor was truly irreplaceable. But I know you will do her, and your namesake, proud in our continued journeys."  
_

_"Thank you, Thane," Tali said, keeping her distance because she knew of the drell's need for personal space.  
_

_"Lame," said the next voice, and the debonair assassin's form was replaced with a pale, bald human. She chewed loudly on a piece of the strange rubbery pink material humans seemed to enjoy and blew a bubble which burst in a loud _SNAP directly in front of Tali's faceplate.

_"Shepard's making all of us do this," Jack smacked her gum and turned away. "So welcome back, bucket-head."_

_Tali laughed. Even the resident thug's acerbic attitude couldn't bring her down from the high she felt as she was instantly replaced by another one of her ship mates welcoming her aboard. Joker, Gardner, Mordin, Kasumi, Jacob... even the grouchy mercenary Zaeed came by to shake her hand, and the diminutive quarian squealed out of fear and delight when she disappeared into Grunt's giant krogan-hug. _

_As the last of the crew offered their congratulations, Shepard held his hand up to the waiting crowd. "Okay people, listen up! Quiet! Quiet, everybody. The Admiralty Board has given us sixty minutes after returning to, and I quote, 'vacate the sovereign space of the Migrant Fleet.'"_

_A chorus of boos thundered through the hangar. Tali's smile disappeared from her face as she stared at the deck.  
_

_"So," Shepard continued and looked at his watch. "For the next... Forty-three minutes and twenty-one seconds, the lounge is OPEN. Everyone is invited to drink a toast to our new Chief Engineer, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy! I'm buying!"  
_

_Cheers once again filled the compartment, followed by a mad rush to the elevator and stairwells. It didn't take long before Tali was left standing alone with Shepard and Garrus in front of the Kodiak.  
_

_"Just for the record," Garrus said, "this was all my idea."  
_

_Shepard waved his hands at the turian. "Oh get the fuck out of here with that bullshit! You didn't do a damn thing!"  
_

_"Well I would have if you had told me sooner!"_

_"I called from the shuttle! While you were trying to hack into Tali's omnitool!"  
_

_Tali stomped her foot. "Hey!"_

_"He makes it sound so underhanded," Garrus said. "I was just... It was professional curiosity. The casework on this investigation seemed a little shaky."  
_

_"Garrus," Tali glared at him, "You touch my omnitool again and I swear you they'll be finding pieces of you around this ship when it goes in for its hundred year refit."  
_

_Garrus grunted and headed for the line waiting for the elevator. "Message received. Good to have you back, Tali."  
_

_"Gods I swear he does this on purpose," Tali said through clenched teeth. She looked back at Shepard. He'd taken off his helmet, his face glistened with sweat and covered with creases from where the pads kept the headgear secured. He watched the entire display with a small smile on his face. As hard as she tried, she couldn't stop herself. She opened her arms and pulled him close, burying her face against his armor. Shepard returned the embrace, rocking her slowly back and forth where they stood.  
_

_"I don't know what to say," she finally gasped.  
_

_"Welcome home, Tali," Shepard said, which made Tali squeeze hard enough he could almost feel it through his suit.  
_

_She pulled back and almost tripped on the bag at her feet. Shepard steadied her and reached down to pick it up. It did not seem very full.  
_

_"This all they let you bring back with you?" Shepard asked.  
_

_"What? Oh... No. Everything I own is already here," she took the bag from him and handed him the crew registry book while she dug into the sack. "Ah, this... Uh..." her hands were shaking again as she tried to pull the bag from around the object within. "It's customary that when a new crew member joins a ship that she presents her captain with a gift. Ordinarily, this happens when you come back from pilgrimage, but we just came back from the trial and they were kicking us out and I didn't have any time to find anything really spectacular, so I- I had to-"  
_

_When she stopped to take a breath, Shepard used his free hand to pull the bag away, revealing a plain brown card-stock box. He took it from her, once again trading the notebook.  
_

_"It's really nothing," Tali said, clasping the ship's registry as he opened the box. "But I know you like models, and..."  
_

_Shepard produced a toy ship from within, a scale model of the quarian transport ship commonly seen throughout the fleet. He held onto it with one hand and gave the thick vertical ring at the bow a spin. The carousel spun freely on its hub, as the real life counterpart would do to generate gravity. It was made of metal and plastic with chipped paint and scratches, having obviously been handed down for generations. _But, _he thought, _considering where it came from, that just makes it more authentic.

_ He smiled at her. "I love it, Tali. I've got the perfect spot for it. Thank you."_

_Tali beamed. Her throat constricted tight and she couldn't have uttered another word if her life depended on it.  
_

_"Come on," Shepard said with the model ship in one hand, and his other gently guiding Tali towards the elevator's queue. "Let me buy you a drink, Miss vas Normandy."  
_

_From the corner of her eye, Tali caught movement next to the aft-most transformer block on the hanger floor. The strange geth that Shepard found on the derelict reaper watched their every move. Ordinarily, the sight of the wretched machine on the same deck would have sent her into a frenzy, but this had been no ordinary day. So, she let it go as her Captain escorted her to introduce her to her new family.  
_

* * *

"Ten minutes to jump," EDI's voice echoed around engineering.

"How are we looking," Tali asked. The information she needed was clearly displayed on her console, but she believed it was always better to interact with her staff directly.

"Propulsion's in the green," Gabby looked over her shoulder at Tali. She wasn't sure what went on in the briefing room, and neither the Chief nor Legion was talking, but whatever it was they both seemed unusually reserved.

"Power to all systems registers nominal," Legion added from its station.

Tali confirmed the readings on the master panel and pressed the key that indicated Engineering was ready for maneuvers. The checks done, she turned and headed for the drive core. "OK it all looks good here," she said. "You two stay here. I just need to check on something."

Gabby blinked, looked at Legion and then down the corridor where Tali disappeared. "Everything okay, boss?"

Tali couldn't hear her over the steady thrum of the _Normandy's _drive core as she drew close, but she was counting on that. She stopped when she reached the railing, turned and slid with her back against it to the floor, arms around her knees, knowing she would have collapsed if she tried to stand any longer. She muted her external outputs and screamed, wailing that quickly turned to sobs that no one but her could hear. She hated herself for breaking down because it seemed to be happening less and less even with all of the strife and crises she'd faced lately. It was just so damned childish, and she chided herself for not being able to hold it together. At least she didn't do it in front of anyone else...

But what logical reaction should someone have when one of their families tried to kill the other?


	47. Collision Course

For the crew of the SSV _Shenyang,_ the past two weeks had been an exercise in frustration. The sole human ship in the Migrant Fleet, representing the Systems Alliance, it had been the focus attention for the governments, militaries and press corps of every species in the galaxy since the negotiations between the geth and quarians went public. For Captain Robert Cramb it was a dubious and unwanted honor. After the the abduction of thousands of human colonists, most Alliance ships were combing the Traverse for the culprits. But the _Shenyang _stayed on station in this dark corner of the ass-end of space babysitting a diplomatic mission that no one really cared about.

Until hackers broke the geth comm codes and everything went to hell, that is. The paper pushers at the Council went off their rockers because humans were interfering in a centuries-old Citadel matter. As if that wasn't enough, the whole mess with Cerberus flared up at the same time, with covert agents turning up at every level of Alliance Command, and the Council voted to expel Admiral Anderson from its ranks. Just to make things more interesting, Commander Shepard decided to make a grand re-appearance at the Sahrabarik relay in a Cerberus-flagged ship.

And what an event that was... With the Alliance and Turian fleets nose to nose at Sahrabarik, just waiting an excuse to hold a grudge match for the First Contact War, an alien ship appeared and kicked the living crap out of everything in range until the _Normandy _arrived on scene. Six hours later, a joint Citadel and Alliance task force jumped through the Omega Four relay and both Alliance Command and the Council issued orders for both forces to resume combined operations across the galaxy as if the rift between humanity and the Citadel had never happened.

Cramb and his fellow officers on the _Shenyang _combed the secure networks for whatever information they could find. They made inquiries to other ships, called in favors, contacted every single drinking buddy who might have a clue as to what was going on. Most of Fleet seemed to be in the dark, and those who did know weren't talking. But one word kept coming up, never on the record, always referenced as rumor and hearsay.

_Invasion._

No one knew exactly from where, or who it would be, only that the threat originated from somewhere outside of the Milky Way. Whatever was coming scared the daylights out of anyone with high enough clearance to know the truth. Yet the _Shenyang, _newly commissioned on her maiden voyage, floated amongst the greatest mobile scrap yard the galaxy had ever seen instead of preparing for the battle the rest of the galaxy thought was coming.

_Maybe that's about to change,_ Cramb thought as he hunched over his comm officer's station. At 193 cm, he had to crouch in many of the cramped spaces on his ship, but it was a small price to pay for his first command. "What have you got?"

"Message from the geth, sir," Lieutenant JG Czerniak pulled the display up on her primary monitor. "First communication we've had since they went dark. Short and to the point."

_Negotiations suspended indefinitely. Shared communication protocols terminated._

Czerniak looked up with hope in her eyes. "That mean we're done here?"

Cramb shrugged as he read the simple text message again. "Well the Conclave already called it quits and so it makes sense the geth are hanging it up. I don't see how Ambassador Castillo is going to be able to justify staying. Hard to negotiate when both sides have left the table."

"Yes sir," Czerniak's smile glowed in the reflected light from her panels in the darkened compartment. But for some reason her CO didn't share her enthusiasm. "Something wrong, sir?"

Cramb gripped the handholds above the comm station and frowned. "I don't know. All of these movements we've been seeing in the Migrant Fleet lately. Training exercises and security rotations they've been having. Just as both sides give up and walk away... Coincidence? Or something else?" He reached out and pulled up the last passive sensor scan on Czerniak's console. Though the _Shenyang_ was still on the fringe of the quarian Flotilla_, _its targeting systems registered over five hundred contacts within one thousand kilometers in all directions. He zoomed out and the smattering of white dots around the ship coalesced into a fuzzy, spherical cloud almost five hundred thousand klicks in diameter. Compared with the scan an hour ago, he estimated seven out of ten ships had changed position. The Alliance force screening onlookers at the Raheel-Leyya relay looked awfully far away.

He glanced through the overhead window and wondered how many of the glittering lights around them were actually ships. "Get on the horn with Arcturus. Let them know about the geth. And that the quarians may be on the move."

* * *

A pale white hand snaked from behind the asari's waist and cupped her bulbous, blue breast. Ruby red lips nibbled at her ear, and she closed her eyes and bit her lower lip as a low moan escaped from deep inside. She turned her head so she could kiss those lips back, luxuriating in the feel of soft, curly red hair of the human female behind her against her cheek. She guided the woman's free hand lower, across her smooth, bare abdomen to the apex between her legs, spread wide across the pelvis of the human male lying beneath them.

She opened her eyes under heavy lids to see the human beneath stare back with piercing, glowing eyes, devoid of passion or any emotion at all as he took a long drag from a cigarette. He casually tapped into the ashtray built into the headboard of the king sized bed, never looking away or even blinking. She rocked her hips back and forth and felt him throb beneath her, but his expression remained blank as he took another puff. A soft chime sounded and he sat up with the cigarette hanging from his lips, then brought a shiny metallic device to her neck and her entire world winked away into darkness.

The Illusive Man caught the young asari by her shoulders and gently lowered her to the soft mattress beside him. The red-headed woman behind clutched her arms around her naked torso and winced at the sudden chill. "Oh come on! Now?"

"I'm afraid so," the Illusive Man offered his cigarette to the girl.

She snatched it with her hand and sucked on it with all her might, all the while giving him an accusatory glare. She coughed twice and fanned her face. "Okay, okay, hit me!"

He touched the stun gun to her neck, and her body fell as if switched off. He laid the red-head down on his right, opposite of where the asari lay, careful to keep the still-lit cigarette from touching the silk sheets. He rolled over her body without dropping an ash and bent to the floor to retrieve his shirt. "What is it?" he asked into the air.

"Report from the _Shenyang," _a disembodied voice said. Human, also female. "The geth have terminated negotiations."

"Did they give a reason?"

"No."

"And what of the ambassador," the Illusive Man buttoned his shirt, then looked around for his pants.

"Still on the _Rayya,_ but that won't be the case for long. The _Shenyang _is monitoring unusual movements by the quarian navy. Official word it's a training exercise, but analysis of the positioning of supply vessels and fleet tenders suggest a large scale surge is imminent. We estimate the order for Castillo's recall will be issued very soon, assuming the quarians don't expel him first."

The Illusive Man paused to draw from his cigarette. "Then we will lose the only asset we've ever successfully placed in the Flotilla. Put me through to the _Xenophon_. Doctor Archer." He walked to the end of the bed to the dresser beyond the bed. Like all the other furniture in the suite, it was 17th century English oak, darkly stained, ornately carved and immaculately kept. He turned his head and smoothed his graying hair in the mirror above.

_"Archer here,"_ said the AI project lead.

"Doctor. It appears the quarian navy is about to strike. I can only assume the target is Rannoch. Is it possible Admiral Xen has succeeded in upgrading the virus?"

There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line, and the Illusive Man could hear panic in the Doctor's voice. _"No! Impossible! Xen doesn't have the new code base."_

"Perhaps she is still unaware there's been a change."_  
_

_"Then her fleet will be in for quite a shock when they arrive at Rannoch. Let them throw themselves at the geth. It may provide the distraction we need."_

The Illusive Man scowled. "The quarians cannot be allowed to attack. Especially if Xen is not ready. The geth would further harden their networks in response to the attempt and the opportunity to assume control could be jeopardized. Tell the captain to take the _Xenophon _to the injection point at Ma-At. You will join the neutralization team there and await further orders."

_"You want us to attack the quarians?" _Archer said. _"Need I remind you that the_ Xenophon _is not a combat vessel? And we are not a soldiers!"  
_

"We are all soldiers when it comes to the fight to save humanity," The Illusive Man said to his own reflection. He would have to review Archer's status after the fall of the geth. Though brilliant, the Doctor lacked commitment when personal involvement became necessary. "Where do we stand on our efforts?"

_"We still lack an upgraded specimen and can't proceed without one."_

"Leave that to me." The Illusive Man crushed out his cigarette in a finely sculpted ashtray on the dresser. "The Ma-At lab facility will soon be abandoned, and the attack by the quarian navy aborted. Once the _Normandy_ has been drawn out of hiding, we can seize your specimen and proceed uninterrupted. Perhaps even use the quarian's research to augment our own."

_"Really. How do you intend to accomplish all of this?"_

"Your only concern is to see that your team is prepared for action, Doctor. That will be all." Without waiting for an acknowledgement, The Illusive Man called to the air once more, knowing the communication link with Archer was already severed. "Eva?"

"Yes, sir?" the female voice responded.

"Proceed with Operation Chinnamasta."

"Yes, sir."

The Illusive Man turned back to the two unconscious women on his bed. He walked past them to the matching oak standalone bar in the corner of the room where he pulled a rocks glass from the cabinet, dropped three cubes using tongs from the ice container and poured from an ornate lead crystal decanter labeled "Bourbon." He paused momentarily. It was likely going to be a long night, so he carried it with him as he walked to the door. "Oh, and Eva," he said as he swirled the golden liquid in his glass. "Have the ladies returned to their quarters. I'll be in my office. I may be a while."

* * *

"Read it again," Eric Dahlberg kicked his boots up on the rail overlooking _Rayya's _deserted Assembly Garden, his hands locked behind his envirosuit's helmet as he reclined on the bench.

His assistant Firaz held his omnitool high in front of him and spoke as if reciting a presidential address. "To: Mister Eric Dahlberg, Future Content Correspondent, From: Gloria Akamatsu, Future Content Senior Executive Producer. Effective immediately, return with diplomatic staff to SSV _Shenyang_..."

Dahlberg's closed his eyes and waved a finger in time to the words.

"...and await transfer via corporate charter pending reassignment to Sahrabarik and Omega-Fucking-Four!"

"Did Glo really say that last part, or is that you?"

"Actually, that was me," Firaz said with a guilty grin behind his suit's mask. "But that's how she should have phrased it."

Dahlberg laughed and clapped his hands. "Gooddamn, and praise the lord! Let my people go!"

"Oh yeah," Firaz looked at his omnitool. "I'm also supposed to tell you... 'Don't forget to get something nice for your father while you're here.' Is it his birthday or something?"

Dahlberg scowled.

"What's wrong?"

"What the hell am I supposed to get him in this dump? You seen any gift shops around here?"

"You could always until we get to Sahrabarik. Shop someplace with more class, like Omega."

"Ha, right. Doesn't matter, I guess. As long as we're getting out of HERE."

"Hey!" came a shout from the Assembly Garden's floor. A quarian marine in dark crimson armor reached up and slapped Dahlberg's boot, a look of pure rage behind her mask. "Get your feet down from there!"

Dahlberg tilted his head sideways so he could see around his feet and tried to remember her name. Aggeth'Foya? She and the younger marine, Har'Dannis, had been following them around all week.

When Dahlberg didn't move, Foya shoved the human's feet from their perch. "You are in the most important chamber in the Migrant Fleet. You will show respect!"

"Easy now, chief," Dahlberg sat forward and looked over the rail. The marine's counterpart stood next to her, weapon at the ready. "You can relax. The negotiations are over. We'll be out of your hair, or whatever you have underneath there, before you know it."

"Until that time," hissed Foya, "you will show the appropriate respect. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Dahlberg said and leaned back in his seat. He did not, however, put his feet back on the railing. "From now on, you get all the respect you deserve."

The door behind the Admiral's dais slid open, and Ambassador Castillo walked out with Admirals and Koris close behind. Xen and Gerrel lingered in the open doorway, chatting amongst themselves. The two marines snapped rigidly to attention, with the senior of the pair glaring over her shoulder at Dahlberg. He sighed and stood as well.

"OK here we go," Dahlberg pointed towards the stairs. "Last call! Get the drone up. Stay up here and get the wide angle shots. I'll get the close-ups. And try to keep the reflections off my face this time, huh?"

"You got it," Firaz said and launched the remote camera into the air.

Dahlberg walked past the marines, ignoring the look of disdain from Foya as he approached the dais. While he couldn't read the faces of the admirals, the elder human looked as though he might burst into tears. He glanced up to gauge the best angle to try and catch it in the light. Tears always boosted his ratings.

* * *

Han'Gerrel and Daro'Xen faced one another in the open doorway, both standing straight with their hands clasped downward in front of their waists. While their posture denoted casual conversation, the tone of their voices over their private channel was anything but.

"What does the geth withdrawal mean for us?" Gerrel growled.

"Absolutely nothing," Xen replied. "It's not like we're asking permission. The geth are still unaware of our research ship at Ma-At. As soon as I give the order, they will proceed to the geth hub and attempt a direct injection. What's the status of the fleet?"

"The vanguard is in place and is ready move on the Raheel-Leyya relay. The heavies are still moving into position and will be ready within the hour. You're sure the lack of a test subject won't be a problem?"

"The intelligence Tali'Zorah gathered from Haratar indicates that platforms in the hub will be dormant. If our people can approach undetected, they can interface directly. The entire hub will be our test environment."

_"If_ they are undetected," Gerrel grunted. "When will we know if it worked?"

"Almost instantly, though the effects will take time to spread to isolated nodes. But once it reaches the Tikkun Relay there will be no stopping us. Just like that, our enemies will become our friends."

Gerrel exhaled sharply. The Tikkun relay, where no quarian ship had ventured since geth cast them from their home system... "And if it doesn't work?"

"Then we relocate to whatever system will tolerate us," Xen's smile faded. "Just like we've always done. But we won't fail, Han. We can't. Rannoch is within our reach." She noticed the other Admirals staring at them from the dais through the open door. She made a show of guiding Gerrel forward. "Come now, let's join the others. I'd hate to miss the chance to bid the good ambassador farewell."

Koris and Raan watched their counterparts approach as they listened to the human diplomat's impassioned plea. "My friends," Castillo said, "Whatever circumstances transpired to halt the negotiations, there are always possibilities as long as one side is willing to keep trying. This is a setback, not a failure. You have finally communicated for the first time since the uprising. This is the beginning, not the end."

"It is unfortunate," Raan said, "but not unexpected after the Conclave voted to suspend the talks. After all, it is impossible to negotiate unless both sides are listening. But we appreciate your efforts, Mister Ambassador." She turned and smiled pleasantly at Admiral Xen. "Perhaps we will try again, after there is a full accounting of what transpired at Dashta to prevent the geth's arrival."

Xen shrugged. "We can only hope, Shala."

Gerrel stiffened in the awkward silence that followed. If the truth ever _did_ come out, he and Xen would face some very difficult questions. "Rest assured there will be a full investigation. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Captain Kar'Danna about the ongoing fleet rotation. Safe journeys, Ambassador."

Castillo bowed. "Admiral."

"And I must be returning to my ship," Xen said. "As meaningful and fulfilling as this affair has been, it has been to the detriment of all my other duties. Ambassador Castillo, it has been a pleasure. I wish you a safe journey home." She waved to the two marines on the Garden's floor. "Please escort the Ambassador and his party to the docking bay, and ready my personal runabout."

"Right away, ma'am," Foya replied.

Castillo sighed. He had expected a rapid exit after Captain Cramb relayed the recall order from Arcturus, but he'd hoped for some measure of decorum considering the importance of what had occurred. Yet the quarians seemed almost relieved, as if some horrible ordeal had ended. Even the moderates like Koris and Raan, who actually favored reconciliation, seemed resigned that peace was an impossibility now and were tired of the struggle. He couldn't let it end like this. "Admiral Xen," he called out. "You are departing as well? By any chance would your runabout be in the same direction as our shuttle?"

Xen's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps."

Castillo gestured toward the marine escort flanking the human reporters and bowed deeply. "I would be honored if you would walk with us."

* * *

Firaz did his best to tuck in his shoulders and suck in his ample gut as he was pushed along a living river of bodies that flowed through the quarian liveship's corridors. It was hard to do as the bio-suited aliens pressed all around him and he kept feeling around to make sure his equipment pouches and slings didn't slide off, or more likely, get stolen by the throng of aliens whose faces were obscured by masks and veils. The daily march to and from the Assembly Garden to get the quarian shuttle bay was the worst part of the trip. Fortunately, it would be the last time.

The SSV _Shenyang_ was the smallest Alliance ship he'd ever been on, and it amazed him how fifty human beings could occupy such a small space until he saw how the quarians lived, with no concept of personal space or privacy. Now he couldn't wait to get back to his cramped stateroom, a closet really, separated from the main berthing compartment by a roll-up partition. Even though he had to share it with Dahlberg, after enduring the week on a quarian ship it would seem like an isolation ward.

He looked ahead at Ambassador Castillo, walking calmly and confidently through the crowd alongside Admiral Xen, his hands behind his back as if he were on a stroll through a park. They were engaged in a spirited conversation if the flickering light on her helmet was any indication, though he couldn't hear them over the din in the bustling corridor. Ahead of them, Xen's personal escort, four large quarians in armor, helped push through the crowd.

"I went through a great deal of trouble to produce sterilized hard copies of my report for each of you," Castillo said to Xen. "I couldn't help but notice you kept leaving yours on the table every day."

"I'm terribly sorry," Xen replied. "But we have such limited space. A digital copy would have been much easier to transport."

"Which I've also transmitted to you every day, but according to my omnitool has been deleted each time without being opened. But fortunately," Castillo pulled a folio from his satchel. "I still have your copy. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were afraid to read it."

"Not afraid, Mister Ambassador," Xen turned her head away as they walked. "Just not interested. What do you possibly think you can tell us about the geth that we don't already know?"

"That they're not the same geth you know, Admiral. They are so much more than the mindless servants they were created to be."

"They are _machines,_" Xen now faced the ambassador. "Executing instructions based purely on code. Whether this code was generated by us or the geth themselves does not matter. Your omnitool is capable of limited self-programming. It's still nothing more than an appliance."

Castillo held the folio out to Xen. "Please. Read the report."

"I don't have to," Xen sighed. "I can tell you exactly what's in there. Commander Shepard and his crew were saved by a platform they named Legion, resulting in the development of an emotional attachment to it as humans seem prone to. You have all given great significance to this act and see it as evidence of development of identity, emotion, and even morals. A stirring anecdote to be sure, but it lacks one very important detail."

"Which is?"

"The code that Legion was running at the time of the incident. Now if _that_ could be analyzed, we could determine without a doubt the source of the instructions Legion processed, and what motivation, if any, there was behind its actions. But until proven otherwise, the geth are merely machines without masters. Tell me, have you, or any of your scientists been able to examine their code first hand?"

"No," Castillo shook his head. "Understandably, the geth have been reluctant to share that information with organics."

"I see," Xen nodded, unsurprised. "Because that's what would take to satisfy me, or any other rational quarian for that matter. It should be the standard by which we all judge. Because without facts, your report is little more than wishful thinking." She halted along with her escort in front of a giant door which dominated the corridor wall. "Ah, this is your bay. Ambassador, it has been a pleasure." She extended her right hand, human style.

Castillo once again held out the folio. "I implore you, Admiral Xen. It's not wishful thinking. It's something far more valuable: hope. I promise you, there is a better future for the quarians within these pages."

Xen put her hands on her hips and stared at the proffered documents.

"Please," Castillo raised the folio slightly, his eyes sparkling in the corridor's bright light. "Don't make an old man beg."

Xen reached out and took the binder between her two fingers, a resigned smile on her face. "Only because it appeals to my intellectual curiosity. Nothing more."

"Wonderful!" Castillo clapped his hands. "I look forward to your analysis. It has been an absolute pleasure, madam Admiral. You have all of my contact information, and if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to call me or my office at Arcturus."

"I will, Mister Castillo," Xen said. "And for what it's worth, I do appreciate the efforts by you and your people to help. We're unaccustomed to such kindness from outside our species."

Castillo found his eyes growing misty and took her hand in both of his and shook it lightly. "You are no longer alone in this galaxy. Remember that."

"I will," Xen smiled and stepped aside as the inner safety door opened, revealing two dozen quarians in the airlock waiting to exit. "Goodbye, Ambassador."

The three humans, followed by Aggeth'Foya and Har'Dannis, entered the lock. When the inner door sealed, Xen waved her entourage further down the corridor to where her runabout was waiting. She examined the cover of the Ambassador's folio as she walked, then handed it to her attache. "Dispose of this, would you? And inform the _Moreh_ that we are on our way."

* * *

Docking Bay Nineteen of the _Rayya_ swarmed with as many quarians inside as it did with the connecting corridor beyond. Eschewing power-hungry barriers, the hangar doors stood open to the vacuum of space allowing for rapid docking and departure of visiting ships, a necessity in a fleet as large as the Flotilla. It was the one convenience the crew of a quarian ship could enjoy as everyone aboard wore a space suit in perpetuity.

"Well that was interesting," Firaz said as they walked along the flight deck. At least a dozen shuttles of varying makes and sizes were either taking off or landing in the cavernous bay. "She actually seemed friendly."

Castillo nodded behind his mask as they approached the _Xantus_, a box-shaped transport with two large engine pods extending from the aft end. "In spite of today's setbacks, I believe they still have a real chance if they can just sit down and talk. Hopefully, this will not be our last visit."

"Speak for yourself, Mister Castillo," Dahlberg double checked his equipment pouches. "I'm waving goodbye and never looking back."

As per procedure, a quarian technical team waited for them at the base of the shuttle's entrance ramp. Without prompting, the three humans emptied their pouches and equipment bags onto a rolling table in front of the techs. The techs proceeded to scan each item, and the owners, with their omnitools. "All of your equipment will be returned to you at the end of your voyage," a young-sounding tech in a bright green suit said. "And your recorded data transmitted to your vessel after review and approval by Information Security."

"We know the drill," Dahlberg said. "Let's get this show on the road."

"Patience," Castillo advised. "Let them to their jobs."

Dahlberg rolled his eyes and looked over their transport while he waited for his equipment to pass inspection. They had been flying back and forth to the _Shenyang_ all week in the rust bucket, and he was looking forward to bidding it farewell. He couldn't even tell what its original color had been as the hull was covered with decades of patches and repairs, all jumbled together like a life-sized collage of a space ship. He squinted and for the first time noticed a side panel displaying half of the logo of Trans-Alliance Spaceways peeking from under a layer of primer. "We could probably do a whole segment on the history of just one of these ships."

Castillo nodded approvingly. "That's an excellent idea. Do you think your network would be interested?"

"Nah, this story's dead. We got bigger fish to fry. Did some research on our taxi, though. Turns out this ship is even older than you."

"Is that right?" Castillo asked. He couldn't tell if the reporter was being sarcastic or not. "They're a resourceful people, the quarians. They take machines written off as derelict by other species and make them live again."

"Yeah," Dahlberg watched a similar-sized transport glide silently out from the bay into open space. "You can afford to do that when you don't have standards."

"Necessity probably demands that they adjust their standards." Castillo shook his head. The reporter and his assistant were usually tactful enough to keep their opinions to themselves in front of the quarians. Fortunately, none of those standing nearby were paying attention.

"All right," Sergeant Foya said and stepped up into the shuttle's rear cargo door and waved the humans up. "We're cleared. Mister Ambassador?"

"Thank you, Sergeant," Castillo said and boarded the shuttle. Dahlberg and Firaz followed, with Corporal Har'Dannis bringing up the rear and sealing the hatch behind them. The three humans worked their way to the front of the ship's windowless cargo compartment. At five meters wide by ten long, it would have been large enough to hold a hundred passengers if not for the dozen metallic cargo pods latched into both the deck and ceiling. As fuel and pilots were an important commodity in the fleet, a ship would never just be used to transport only three people. Every ship which docked with the _Rayya_, regardless of its other duties_, _was a food transport first.

"Good day, sirs," Passa'Denth vas Xantus's voice sounded tinny over the passengers' helmet radios. Unlike their marine escort, the shuttle's quarian pilot had been curious and friendly during the entire time he'd ferried the Ambassador back and forth to the _Shenyang_. During each flight he pumped the humans with endless questions about their homeworld and the Citadel after departure, and was delighted when the reporters asked him about life in the fleet. "We're waiting for clearance, so if you would, just sit back and relax and we'll be underway shortly. Internal hull pressure will be restored at that time. Estimated flight time to the _Shenyang_ is thirty-one minutes.

Castillo took his seat in the front row, with Firaz close behind. Dahlberg stopped in the aisle and patted the back of the seat at the end of the row with a sigh. "Gonna miss this old beast," he said.

Foya stood with her arms crossed behind the passenger seats. The human knew she couldn't sit until he did, and seemed to take great pleasure in seeing how long he could go before she forced the issue. Her half-lidded eyes burned behind her face mask. "Take your seat, _sir_."

"Look, Foya," Dahlberg looked at his seated counterparts, then across the compartment where Corporal Dannis had posted himself. He waved her toward the back of the shuttle. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sit," Foya said and pointed to the row of chairs, but Dahlberg kept going.

Castillo turned his head about, but couldn't quite see what was going on because of his helmet. "Eric, please. We're almost home..."

"We got off on the wrong foot," Dahlberg said as he walked past the first cargo module on the left. "I just wanted to apologize for how I acted during our stay."

Foya strode purposefully behind the retreating human. In spite of what he was saying, his actions showed nothing but contempt for his hosts, and she'd had enough of it. "I will knock you out and carry you if I have to-" She grabbed him on the shoulder and spun him around to face her.

Dahlberg wrenched his arm up and snaked around Foya's, locking her body to his. Pushing from bent legs he rammed the palm of his free hand into her jaw, driving her head sideways with a dull snap. Protected by her suit and helmet, her neck did not break, but her vision went black and she felt her entire body go numb. Flipping Foya's body around, he snatched the Tempest sub-machine gun mounted on her suit's right hardpoint, jammed it into the base of her spine and pulled the trigger. Dark red spray coated her facemask from the inside and she fell to the floor.

"Dude, what the fuck!" Firaz yelled, now on his feet, his face pale with shock. Castillo wore a similarly horrified expression.

"Security Alert! _Xantus!_" Corporal Dannis unslung his own Tempest and rushed toward where Foya's body fell from behind the cargo module. "Get down!" he called out to the Ambassador, then poked his weapon around the edge of the cargo module. The space between the hull and cargo pods was empty all the way to the back of the compartment. Red lights flashed throughout the shuttle, and their comm units buzzed with alarms.

"NO!" Castillo shouted as Dahlberg charged around the other side of the cargo pod and fired a long burst into the marine's right side. The force of the impacts knocked the young quarian back against the wall. Dahlberg charged toward him, pushing the Corporal's weapon aside and sticking the muzzle of his gun into the weakest spot in the kid's armor, in the collar beneath the helmet. Dannis's body jerked once and fell to the deck on top of his NCO.

"Oh my god," Firaz kept repeating.

Castillo fell against his chair. "What have you done!"

Dahlberg dropped the overheated weapon from his hand and leaned down to pick up the Corporal's unfired one. Wordlessly he turned on Castillo and put a burst center-mass into his chest.

Firaz backed into the forward wall, then crouched in the corner, his hands in the air. "Come on, man," he pleaded. "Come on! Just tell me what's happening!" He never finished his sentence as Dahlberg fired once more, and the camera tech fell to the floor, dead.

_"What's going on back there?"_ The pilot's voice echoed over the intercom._ "Foya! Dannis!_

"Foya's gone crazy!" Dahlberg's voice quivered with panic as he stepped back to make sure the two quarians were dead, or at least incapacitated. "She shot the Ambassador and Firaz! Dannis is down, too! Call for help! Call for help right now!" Satisfied, he slipped back between the hull and the last cargo pod and quickly removed a maintenance panel, just like he'd done on the way to the_ Rayya _three days before. Security on the shuttle in flight was usually very lax, and after getting friendly with Passa he was allowed to look around as he liked, under the guise of doing research on the quarian's ship. Ego, Dahlberg learned long ago, was a failing not limited to humanity.

But the truth was, Dahlberg already knew everything there was to know about the _Xantas._ Even though the ship was over 150 years old, Cerberus was able to track down the original manufacturer. The company was long out of business, but thanks to a maze of intermediaries and lots of detective work, they were able to find the source code for the software used to put the drive of the ship into diagnostic mode. With it, direct command of the engines and FTL system was possible. By law, ships were designed to block this mode outside of specialized docks, to prevent the ship from being used as a faster-than-light kamikaze weapon. But if the correct inputs could be spoofed, and the right codes entered, Dahlberg could get the ship's engines to do whatever he wanted.

_Get something nice for your father,_ the code phrase echoed in his head. The Illusive Man had signaled for the most devastating result possible to cripple the fleet. Dahlberg encoded the device to propel the shuttle forward through the _Rayya's _command module and set the timer for two minutes. With luck, he'd be able to get off the shuttle and aft of the planned trajectory, and his suit should keep him alive long enough to be rescued. Of course he would have to disappear afterwards, because there were going to be lots of questions asked, but he knew Cerberus would take care of him. As he activated the override device he'd planted earlier that week, he did feel a twinge of regret. He really did look forward to covering the action at Sahrabarik...

He dropped the Tempest at his feet and ran forward to where the Ambassador lay. He bent over and lifted the old man's body over his shoulders. Castillo's suit had self-sealed, but enough blood had already escaped and smeared the front of his envirosuit._ That will add nicely to the effect,_ he thought. By the time he reached the shuttle's aft door, his eyes were flooded with tears, his breathing choppy and panicked. _If only you could have gotten the camera drone in the air to catch your exit, what a coup that would have been_... The timer in his helmet showed only a minute to go.

"Passa!" Dahlberg called out as he stood by the aft hatch. "It's Eric! Open the aft door! I've got to get help for the Ambassador!"

_"Negative!"_ Passa replied. _"Stay where you are, find some cover! Our marines are preparing to preparing to breach the ship! Where's Foya? Can you see her! Listen to me, she's overridden the engine controls! We need to stop her!"_

_Fifty seconds._ Would the marines let him pass, allowing him to rush the mortally wounded ambassador to safety? Or would they open fire as soon as the hatch opened? He could always pause the countdown, or program in more time, but what if Passa was able to figure out where the override was coming from? He or the marines might figure a way to stop it. He dropped Castillo to the floor and walked to the exposed panel. There was only one thing he could do to make sure he didn't fail.

He reached in and picked up the diagnostic emulator. Warning lights flared all around the aft hatch as it began to slide open. The marines were coming in. On the deck in front of the opening door, Ambassador Castillo rolled on his side to face him. The old bastard was still alive.

"Eric," Castillo croaked, blood dribbling from his lips, his voice weak. "Whatever you are doing... please... stop. Stop, Eric."

Dahlberg sighed and looked as the display counted down. Forty seconds to go. He closed his eyes and envisioned the blue globe of the Earth hanging peacefully in the blackness of space. "If it's any comfort," he told Castillo as he dialed the time down to zero, "You're dying a hero."

* * *

Unlike the vast majority of the Migrant Fleet, the _Irector_ had but one purpose: monitor the liveship _Rayya_. Wherever she went, the _Irector_ and two dozen other picket ships followed at various distances, constantly watching the _Rayya _and the space around her. It was a no-fly zone as secure as any in the galaxy, with an elaborate series of coded challenges and procedures that could result in an encroaching vessel's destruction without warning.

In spite of the well-established rules, ships still wandered too close from time to time. With over 50,000 ships in the fleet, accidents happened. Navigational issues, collision avoidance, and runaways all contributed to wayward vessels ending up where they shouldn't be, then coming face-to-face with some of the deadliest ships in the quarian navy. Fortunately, in the time Captain Jaffrol'Salla vas Irector had been in command, they had only had to fire on a vessel once, and it turned out to be in legitimate defense. A group of Terminus pirates decided to make a run on the _Rayya_. The liveship remained unharmed and the fleet gained three more ships that day.

But now, something strange was happening on the ship they protected. "Any update on the security alert?" Salla asked from his command chair on the looked out the starboard viewport where Rayya's sphere filled half the sky.

"Yes sir," his comm officer said. "Reports of shots fired in the hangar deck. Multiple casualties. Apparently the human ambassador is amongst them."

"Oh gods," Salla slumped in his chair. "What idiot did that? I said from the start these negotiations would bring trouble. It was only a matter of time before-" A bright blue flash from his right made him instinctively cover his eyes, but he still turned to look for the source of the light. The _Rayya _still hung in space, its biosphere tumbling along as always. Except now, a dark, jagged hole appeared a quarter of the way up the side, just outside the circular ring which marked the axis of rotation. Hull panels and debris spewed from the hole like glitter.

"Monitoring explosion," his own sensor operator said in a controlled tone. "Port side, inner ring. Extreme venting and temperature variations in that sector."

_"Secondary explosions along the primary hull,"_ another voice reported from one of the other picket vessels. _"We are no longer receiving telemetry and have lost all communication feeds. _Irector_, are you receiving anything at all from _Rayya_?"_

Salla turned back to the window as more confused, panicked calls flooded the comm network. _Rayya's _primary hull contained the command module, hangar decks and engineering section. How could they have been damaged by an explosion in the biosphere? As he watched, the plating surrounding the hole bulged out like a boil and a geyser of while-hot fire spewed forth, sending a plume of fire and debris into space. Against the massive scale of the ship, it seemed to spread in slow motion until it grew almost as long as the _Rayya_ herself.

How many people did Salla just see die? He could barely think, but he had to. He was put in command of _Irector_ precisely because he could think under pressure, and his fleet, his people were counting on him. His first duty was the most important, and was the only situation where a single Captain had the authority to broadcast to all fifty thousand ships on his own initiative.

_Priority One - Fleetwide Alert - Immediate recall of all ships to the Flotilla..._

* * *

"We are getting the first video feeds of the event," Eva said.

The Illusive Man turned away from the starscape outside the window and back to the lone chair in his private chamber. "Pull it up for me, please." He took a sip from his glass and sat with one ankle resting on the opposite knee. A holo window opened in front of him, revealing a black rectangle with a white crescent moon in the lower right corner.

"This is amateur video taken from the quarian tug _Bibo_, posted on the extranet eleven minutes ago."

The white crescent in the corner sprouted a fuzzy tail, and the frame jerked and zoomed in, showing the R_ayya _in profile. Flames shot from its fractured bow like a blowtorch. "Oh my gods," a quarian man could be heard to say. "Oh my gods... No... No! Keelah! We've got to get in there... Konra'Ren, drop the load. I'll call TC and get us a vector!" A second, larger fireball erupted from the puncture in the _Rayya's _sphere and the feed came to an abrupt end.

"Record all feeds as they become available." The Illusive Man leaned back in his chair. "It would appear that Mister Dahlberg was successful in his mission. Has he attempted to make contact?"

"No sir, he has not."

"Keep me informed. He has performed a tremendous service in the name of his species. He is to be commended, if he survived."

"Yes, sir."

The Illusive Man drained his glass, then fished in his vest for his cigarette case. "Any word from the _Shenyang?"_

"They have reported to Alliance Command that the _Rayya_ has met with disaster, but have been unable to ascertain the status or location of Ambassador Castillo and his party. Their offer to render assistance has not received a reply, indicating that the Admiralty Board or command staff is unable to provide direction during this crisis. Remote analysis of sensor data from the _Rayya_ indicates it has sustained catastrophic damage to both its primary and secondary hull, and that the biosphere is in danger of- excuse me, sir, but there is an incoming call from Doctor Archer on the _Xenophon."_

"Put him through," The Illusive Man said.

_"Well I suppose congratulations are in order," _Archer said, sounding reluctantly impressed. "_I don't know what miracle you were able to conjure, but the quarians have abandoned their facility at Ma-at. They left so fast we initially assumed they were discovered by the geth." _

"As I anticipated," The Illusive Man flicked his lighter and puffed on his cigarette. "I think we will also find the quarian fleet will not be leaving Raheel-Leyya any time soon. All they needed was a compelling enough reason to stay."

_"I'm almost afraid to ask. The sterilization team is moving in to see what they left behind. It should be in our hands in a matter of minutes."_

"Excellent. Let me know what you find."

_"Archer out."_

The Illusive Man held his cigarette upright by its filter and studied the glowing embers, which pulsed and flared like the surface of the star behind him. Only one piece of the puzzle remained unaccounted for, but it might be the most be the most dangerous to acquire. He settled once more into his chair. "Eva... Let me know when we hear from the _Normandy."_


	48. Devastation

Ordinarily, Tali jumped at any opportunity to visit Shepard in his loft on the top deck of the ship. How many times had she lulled herself asleep in her quarters, dreaming of what it would be like to spend the night there? Not that anything would _happen_ if she did, of course... She always imagined that she and Shepard would spend a night just talking on the couch, reliving their adventures together, making each other laugh so hard that they'd be surprised when they saw what time it was. Shepard always liked to have a drink or two, and maybe he'd be too tired to move and just fall asleep next to her. And maybe she'd just wake up nestled next to him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, her fingers intertwined with his...

But someone else _always_ interrupted. It never failed. Even if Tali just suggested hanging out and talking, Miranda would show up needing to discuss requisitions. Or Mordin would come in babbling about some incredible breakthrough concerning the fungus in the ship's showers. Or Garrus, the metal-plated, skull-faced bosh'tet had the psychic ability to sense when Tali even thought about heading up to see Shepard by herself and he'd already be there, bottles open, playing some ridiculous card game with the Commander, Kasumi, Ken and anyone else who liked to gamble. One time, half the crew packed into Shepard's spacious quarters for an all-night bender minutes after Tali had brought some music for them to listen to alone. She took small satisfaction as each of her ship mates came by as she sat alone on the couch to ask for copies of her mix.

Now, for the first time, she had him to herself. But after everything that had happened, the betrayal at Dashta, the death of one of the squad... Whatever Shepard wanted to talk about wasn't likely to result in late night jocularity and cuddling on the couch.

The elevator door opened to the loft's vestibule and the hatch to Shepard's quarters stood ajar. She walked towards it and wrung her hands in front of her. The compartment was never brightly lit, but now was filled with the high-contrast glare from work lights on stands around the perimeter of the room. The soft blue glow from the aquariums was absent, replaced with dark, empty shadow. All of their plate glass panes were shattered, with only jagged shards in the frames. Crystals of glass sparkled on the deck all the way across the room. The translucent display case over the desk which held Shepard's model collection was similarly destroyed, displaying only sharp fragments where two dozen scale models had been the day before. Black scorch marks blotted the walls, floor, and ceiling. The only thing intact was Shepard's personal workstation on the desk, and she could tell from its unmarred surface that it had recently been replaced.

Beyond, solid hull plating replaced the beautiful panoramic roof over the Commander's bed, now reduced to charred rubble when the mercenary force blew its way through _Normandy's_ hull in an attempt to take the ship. She heard the crunch of footsteps on glass from the lower half of the suite.

Shepard's head bobbed as he ascended the stairs. He wore the same rumpled black T-shirt and trousers and combat boots he'd been wearing since their return to the ship. He sighed when he reached the top step, holding a translucent blue plastic bag in one hand which stretched because of the bulky items held within. "Hey, Tali, thanks for coming up. Sorry for the mess. Just trying to grab what I can before we sweep this whole place out."

"Keelah," Tali's hand went to cover her respirator and she shuddered at the destruction. "I'm so sorry..."

"No, look," Shepard said and set the sack on the ground as he walked toward her. "This wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was," Tali blurted. "You didn't trust them from the start. We should have just called the Flotilla instead of going in person like you said. I talked you out of it. None of this would have happened if I'd listened to you."

Shepard stood in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "That's not what happened at all. Think back. The geth were determined to see it through. Blue was going to go meet the _Giraf_ at Dashta with or without my consent, remember?"

Tali opened her eyes to see him staring straight at her. Her eyes flooded with tears. "I led us right to them."

"No, Xen did," Shepard said. "The Admirals have to answer for this. Not you."

Tali took a deep breath and shuddered as she exhaled, but nodded.

Shepard actually smiled. "Hey, look at this," he reached into the sack and pulled out the model of the quarian transport she had given him when she first came aboard as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. He hefted the heavy metal reproduction in his hand. "It's the only one that made it. Built to last, huh?"

Tali knew that Shepard was trying to make her feel better, but standing in the middle of the utter destruction only seemed to make it worse. "I'm sorry-"

Shepard cocked his head. "What did I just tell you?" He put the model back in the sack and leaned against his desk. "I didn't bring you up here for that. It's all water under the bridge. What I want to know is what do we do about it? I mean, I know what _I_ want to do, but I shouldn't. So I'm asking you, what are our options? How do we tell the fleet that the Admirals sabotaged the negotiations and tried to have us killed?"

What indeed? Tali looked at her captain, standing in the harsh light of the work lamps in his ruined cabin. Her ship and her crew barely escaped a trap set by the people they were trying to help... and one of her shipmates paid the price with her life. She could tell by the look on Shepard's face exactly what he wanted to do to balance the equation.

"It wasn't all of them," Tali rubbed her hands furiously. "They- It was only Xen and Gerrel, you know that. Please don't take it out on all of them. Most of us want want to end this war. We can't let what one or two people did stop us."

"It may not be up to us anymore." Shepard looked down at his comm station and gave a heavy sigh. "I've been in contact with Admiral Hackett. The Alliance has withdrawn their support of the negotiations."

"Wait, you didn't- you didn't tell them about Xen, did you...?"

"No. Not yet," Shepard said. "Like I said, I wanted to talk to you first. The order to abandon the peace talks came from Arcturus. The Conclave already voted to terminate, and after what happened to us at Dashta the geth cut off all communications with the quarians. There's no one left to mediate to, Tali. The human ambassador will be leaving the Migrant Fleet within the hour if he hasn't left already. The Alliance is officially out of the picture. I'm sorry."

Tali stared at the deck, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. How had everything gone so wrong? She thought back to before the _Normandy_ made the jump through Omega Four. Shepard wanted Legion and her to return to the flotilla to show the quarian people that cooperation was possible with the geth, but they both refused, demanding to stay aboard their ship and face the collectors with their captain. Had they appeared before the Conclave then, would it have made a difference? Would Admiral Xen's scheme been thwarted, or would she have only achieved her goals days earlier, whatever they were?

Shepard turned back to her. For the first time that she could remember, his eyes were totally devoid of emotion. No hate, no rage, nothing. She always knew that when Shepard got quiet, that's when hell was going to follow. "So I'm asking you again. What do we do about this? I'm not interested in a body count. But someone has to answer for Jack."

Tali nodded. Shepard was right. As much as she tried to justify the actions of the Admiralty Board, there was no excuse. They led the _Normandy_ into an ambush with the intent of killing her entire crew, while at the same time sabotaging the best chance they had for peace. Her constant hand-wringing stopped. "We need to go to the Conclave with this. Give them everything we've got about what happened. They can relieve the admirals involved for treason and-"

Shepard turned back toward his console, his hands working the holo display. "Who do we talk to?"

"Oh," Tali gulped. Shepard meant to call the Conclave immediately. "Um... The _Anba. _It's the ship where the Conclave convenes. It's essentially the civilian flagship of the Flotilla. We'll want the the Officers of the High Court. Uh..." On any normal day Tali could rattle off the names of dozens of captains, but now she could barely recall the name of the High Officer himself. She switched on her omnitool and punched clumsily at its virtual interface. "I, uh... I need to open a channel to the Migrant Fleet. Would that be okay? I'm still blocked."

Shepard could see Tali's fingers tremble as she worked her omni. The poor girl had been exiled from her people, seen her father killed, her shipmates die, and was now preparing to accuse at least two of the highest officers in the Migrant Fleet of treason. How much more would she have to endure before she caught a break? "Sure thing," he said and opened up the communication control screen on his display. "EDI, go ahead and open those channels."

"Right away, Commander," EDI said.

A soft, high-pitched tone filled the compartment. Thinking it might be latent hearing damage from the firefight, Shepard rubbed his ear and turned back to Tali to ask if she heard it too. The quarian stood transfixed, staring at the omnitool on her wrist which pulsed with bright red lines instead of its normal, warm gold color. Her glowing eyes flickered behind her facemask and she took an unbalanced step forward before collapsing toward the deck sending pieces of glass skittering across the floor. Shepard lunged toward her and caught her beneath her shoulders. He lowered her to a sitting position, and feeling dead weight in his arms lowered her gently to the deck on her back.

"Tali!" Shepard looked into her mask but it had fogged over from the inside. "EDI! Get a medical team up here right now!" He pulled Tali's left arm up, still enveloped by her hellish red omnitool. Could they have sent some kind of feedback through the network to do this to her? He unfastened the clasp which held the omnitool to her wrist and tossed it aside before instinctively reaching around Tali's neck to feel for a pulse. "Shit," he muttered as he realized the futility of doing so through her suit, and scrambled back to his desk to pick up his own omnitool so he could check her vital signs.

On the floor next to the unconscious quarian, her omnitool projected an image of the liveship _Rayya _with a plume of fire erupting from its bow as it continued to fill the compartment with its plaintive whistle.

* * *

Tali sat upright, nearly knocking her helmet into the head of Doctor Chakwas, who fell back on her haunches and nearly dropped her datapad in surprise. Not having ever linked into the nerve stim center of the quarian's suit before, Chakwas had no idea what to expect, but the effect was instantaneous.

Gasping for breath, her head heavy with dizziness, Tali scanned the room around her. Her skull felt like it was filled with the shards of glass beneath her on the floor. She was still in Shepard's quarters, sitting beneath the glare of the work lights. She squinted and her faceplate darkened instantly, which because of the intense contrast of the lamps only made her vision worse. She held her left wrist in front of her face. Even through her blurred eyes, she could see her omnitool was gone. She put a hand behind her and pushed herself to her feet.

"Tali," Chakwas said and tried to push her back, "stay down. You might fall-"

"Where is it?" Tali made herself stand, and the doctor rose next to her.

"Where's what?"

Tali caught a red glow from the Commander's station and staggered toward it. Her fainting, her dizzy spell... Had she been dreaming? The last time she felt this bad was the morning after coming back from a crew gathering at Eternity bar on Illium. She'd lost track of how many drinks she'd had and Garrus kept telling her "only two" any time she asked. She was sick for what seemed like days. But when she picked up her omnitool, she knew it was no dream. The device was programmed to go into an alert mode upon receiving a special signal, and it now indicated a fleet-wide disaster.

Tali tried to force herself to read slowly and thoroughly but she couldn't help but scroll through the message for the highlighted sections. "Rayya _critically damaged by explosion. Bridge crew not responding. Admiralty Board not responding. Venting ship to contain fires." _According to the time stamp, the event happened less than thirty minutes before, and she had only been out for three or four. She staggered past Chakwas toward the elevator. The doctor grabbed her as she passed, but instead of stopping her, Chakwas instead helped her to the lift. "Where do you need to be?"

"Where's Commander Shepard?"

"CIC. Monitoring the situation from there." From the look on her face, Chakwas knew the severity of the situation. "I'm sorry, Tali."

Tali leaned against the wall as the lift descended and scrolled through the constantly updating feed. "_Disengaging primary flywheels due to load imbalance. Uneven torque registering throughout Centrifuge. Pressure in emulsion tanks critical. Uncontained fires: Central Processing, Central Storage, Central Distribution. Damage Control capability limited - 78% of personnel ship-wide out of contact. Major explosion reported, Rings 2-5. Hull integrity, frames 556-610, zero percent.." _

The elevator door opened to CIC and Tali staggered out. Miranda and the asari Enlea stood at the Commander's station on the left at the center of a half dozen holo screens. Kelly was at her station on the right, with Garrus at her side. In the center, atop the stairs at the main view console, Shepard stood with his back to her, hands clenched on the rail. Instead of the swirling galactic map, he stood silhouetted against a giant projection of the _Rayya_ in her death throes.

_Your birthship,_ Tali thought. _The greatest ship in the fleet._ For as large as it was, the _Rayya_ had relatively few crew, only twenty-six thousand. But those who had the name _Rayya_, by birth or by invitation, were held in special regard by the fleet at large. She always wanted to ask her father how she came to be born on the ship, but he would never say. Neither he or her mother had the _Rayya_ in their lineage. Rael'Zorah wasn't even an admiral at the time, let alone a captain when she'd been conceived, so what kind of influence could he have? Growing up, though, she'd seen the way the old Admirals treated her father, and how much they valued his intellect. Throughout her life, there never seemed to be a shortage of volunteers to take in little Tali'Zorah nar Rayya when her father disappeared for months at a time "in service to the fleet." And how they chastised that same teen-aged girl for cursing her father for never being around when her family needed him.

The _Rayya._ The greatest ship of the fleet because it was the most important. The Migrant Fleet had three liveships, each of a different class and tonnage, each custom built by merging two or three separate ships together to function as one. But of the three, the _Rayya_ was the largest, accounting for forty-two percent of the Migrant Fleet's food production and distribution alone. The aft section was a standard quarian super-freighter, common in service before the Uprising. But the front section, the sphere, was something special. It was not a ship at all but a space station designed for storing and separating compressed liquid fuels distilled from gas giants. Its constant rotation not only provided gravity, but provided the means to separate the fuel products through sustained centrifugal force. The quarian conglomerate which constructed it was all but wiped out on Rannoch during the war, and the surviving corporate officers relinquished control of the station to the Navy to provide liquid hydrogen and helium for the war effort. When the food supply for the hyper-allergic quarian species began to dwindle, it was clear an alternative was needed. So what used to be a fueling station became the greatest biosynthesis plant the galaxy had ever seen.

Valves and pipes were refitted to handle far thicker, viscous materials. Pumps were replaced, and filters and sterilization equipment crammed in wherever space could be found. But the greatest structures in the sphere were vast processing and storage tanks, ideal for long term storage of what would become the staple of every quarian's diet for the coming centuries. Protein paste, made from algae, fungus and cloned tissue, all cultured and grown at the center of the sphere, kept warm and given energy from recycled biomass collected from around the fleet, using composting techniques perfected by farmers from the old world. The chemical action in the compost, in fact, provided most of the sphere's power. Even if the ship's reactor's went offline, they could still process food even if the ship lost power, and the centrifugal force from the rotation kept the processed food flowing outward toward storage tanks and distribution points around the hull. It was incredibly productive, efficient, and most importantly low-maintenance and self-sustaining as long as nothing broke in the chain.

Now, a geyser of fire erupted from _Rayya's_ hull, and the giant sphere had ceased rotation. Tali couldn't imagine how many people had been inside when the explosion occurred. It was mostly machinery in there, but several thousand technicians kept careful watch over the pumps and circulating systems, like individual cells patrolling a complex organism. But that wasn't her major concern. The time it took for raw biomass to move from the center of the sphere to the culture tanks to the holding ring was five days... which meant that if food production couldn't be restored, almost half of the Migrant Fleet would begin starving in less than a week.

Tali felt her legs weaken, but Doctor Chakwas held her steady, a worried look on her face. Tali stared at Shepard's back as he listened to incoming transmissions about the disaster. Her heart skipped a beat. With Shepard in charge, everything was going to be okay. With his connections, the Alliance fleet, outnumbered in size and strength only by the turian fleet and the Flotilla itself, was probably mobilizing and streaking towards Raheel-Layya to render assistance.

_"We're surrounded, Admiral,"_ said a human male over the comm, a voice Tali could not recognize. _"They say if we so much as raise screens or spool up our drive they'll open fire."_

Admiral Hackett's unmistakable voice responded. _"They're blocking our security force at the relay as well. They just took a shot right in the gut, Cramb, so we'll give them some leeway. Take no provocative action. Right now, you're the only eyes we've got in the Flotilla. Have you heard from Ambassador Castillo or his party?"_

_"No sir. The Ambassador's ship is overdue. We have received no communications since the incident aboard the_ Rayya..."

_"All right, your first priority is recovering the Ambassador. Don't challenge your escort, but do everything you can to scan from a distance and monitor all transmissions..." _

Tali's stomach burned. The quarian people were facing extinction, and they were concerned about one person. And all Shepard was doing was listening. It was as Admiral Daro'Xen always said: the quarians could not depend on anyone else to save them. She turned left toward the armory, her legs finding renewed strength as the human's words faded behind her. She found the conference room deserted when she walked through its hatch. She glanced at her omnitool and saw the fleet feed was still updating. "EDI, do I still have comm clearance to the Migrant Fleet?"

"Yes, Tali."

After being exiled, all of Tali's access to the Flotilla's network had been summarily terminated. However, thanks to the peace negotiations, she had been granted special clearance through the Conclave's Office of Diplomatic Affairs, sanctioned by the Admiralty Board itself. She hoped it would be enough. She activated the conference room's comm panel and patched in. She was free to transmit, but she had no idea who would be receiving on the other end.

"This is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya vas Normandy, calling the High Officers of the Conclave, responding to Fleet Emergency traffic and requesting damage control reports on the _Rayya_. Please respond..."

She paused and waited for the reply. Names and faces of her ship-family and friends aboard the _Rayya_ flashed through her mind, the men and women who raised her when her father wasn't around and took care of her mother when other, more important, Fleet business took precedence. Clan Voya, who raised their children from the time they could walk to patrol the pipes and conduits that ran through the sphere. Chief Engineer Juia'Yorran who let the daughter of Rael'Zorah into her engineering compartments at the age of six and taught her to love a ship like it was a living thing. Captain Kar'Danna, who along with Han'Gerrel convinced her father to allow Tali to go on a pilgrimage far more distant and dangerous than an Admiral of the Board should allow. All of them shaped her life in ways she could not have ever imagined, allowing her to see and experience things most quarians only saw in vids. Who amongst them were still alive?

Tali inhaled, ready to try again when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Shepard right behind her. She didn't even notice that he'd followed her. He moved next to her at the table, hand still on her shoulder. All she could do was blink at him.

His voice was measured and calm. "What do you need from me?"


	49. Breaking News

Atop the Grand Quorum, the cool night air provided a comfortable, breezy atmosphere for the hundreds of asari who gathered on its rooftop grotto to discuss the issues of the day under glittering stars and the dazzling nighttime skyline of Fiatela. Wine from the Quorum's own vineyard and fermented in casks in the chambers beneath the ancient building flowed freely to the patrons from decanters as old as the Quorum itself. Though there were no chairs, tall meter-wide tables dotted the floor, providing convenient surfaces on which to support goblets and plates while conversing. It was the perfect way to relax the mind and soul after a long day of civilized discourse, or to continue to try and resolve the day's quandaries in a more relaxed setting.

Matriarch Naranna sipped her Nevos Red wine as she wandered across the rooftop, enjoying the warm summer air and the voices of her friends and companions as they discussed the day's debates. Of course, what she was really listening for was any mention of the geth intrusion into their most secure networks. The network outage was the talk of the evening though the official version of the story had been readily accepted if conversation was any indication.

"They had security forces roaming the halls," said a representative from Ulee with a laugh. "I had my credentials checked three times."

A matron from Armali nodded sagely, "An understandable precaution. The entire network was down for almost half the day. Security had to be enforced. I think under the circumstances, the staff handled the incident as effectively as could be expected. We're lucky it was only a faulty network component sending out spurious data. Imagine if it had actually been a cyber-attack on the Quorum!"

"It's just incredible to think a single component could wreak such havoc throughout the entire building! If you ask me, it's just another example of how we've all become too dependent on technology..."

Naranna continued to weave her way through the tables, smiling and chatting briefly with anyone who turned to face her. The mood was festive and relaxed, as if a day without the machines somehow proved the asari were capable of getting by without them. She wondered how civil they would be, however, if the network had been down for more than the afternoon...

As she rounded a serving pavilion, she caught a sparkle of red near the battlements that lined the outside of the Quorum's top level. Built tens of thousands of years before, they represented a time when asari did not always settle things through diplomacy, but now only served testament to the structure's march through time along with the people who created it. Standing next to the outer wall, a trio of women spoke, a tray of sliced meat, cheeses, and vegetables perched on the ledge created in the space between two giant blocks of granite. Collona, still in the same red and white robes she had on earlier that day, stood with her back to Naranna. The other two women faced toward her, their expressions filled with dire concern.

"Naranna," the taller of the three asari spoke. It was Matriarch Torama from Attenna, along with Matriarch Yel of Kendra. Naranna stepped forward and embraced each of them warmly as Collona watched with barely contained disgust.

"A beautiful evening," Naranna said. "Sometimes I think we should hold the debates right here, under the stars, on a night like this."

"Nonsense," Torama raised her glass. "The nights are for meant reflection. If Athame had intended it any other way, she would not have invented wine."

Everyone laughed, except Collona, and raised their glasses before taking a sip. "I'm sorry if I interrupted," Naranna said. "But as far as reflection goes, all of you appeared to be preoccupied with something quite severe as I approached."

"Oh," Though Toroma's face had returned to a relaxed smile, she pointed to her still-dour counterpart. "Collona here was just informing us of a terrible accident at the quarian Migrant Fleet."

"Really? I hadn't heard."

"Yes, one of their food production vessels, a 'liveship' I believe Collona called it suffered a rather large explosion."

"How dreadful."

"That's not the worst part," Yel said, her face now contorted with genuine concern and sorrow. "The visiting dignitary from the Systems Alliance was apparently on board when it happened."

That particular news caught Naranna off guard enough that she set down her glass on a nearby table. "The gentleman conducting the negotiations?"

"I believe so."

"An accident, you say?"

For the first time since Naranna's arrival, Collona spoke, her eyes narrowed. "That's yet to be determined, isn't it?"

Naranna stared back at the red-clad matriarch, stunned at the hatred she saw reflected back at her. Her jaw dropped at the realization of just what Collona was implying. In spite of the breeze, Naranna felt her skin flush with heat in the dim light of the skyline.

"That's a very good point, Collona," Toroma shook her head. "It's too early to tell. I'm sure there will be an investigation by the Alliance. One always hopes these incidents are accidental, but with all of the bad blood surrounding the quarians and the geth..."

"Not to mention the way the negotiations were conducted," Yel interjected with disgust.

Toroma rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes. What in the goddess' name were the humans thinking, conducting peace negotiations in secret? What led them to believe they had the requisite expertise to navigate such treacherous waters? They hadn't even discovered space flight when the Geth Uprising occurred. There's so much they don't yet understand."

"It was a disaster from the start," Yel said and reached to the battlement to pick up a slice of spice gourd from the tray. She dipped it delicately in dressing, not wanting to overwhelm its fresh, succulent flavor. "If they'd only gone to the Citadel with this, maybe their ambassador would still be alive. Human pride, I tell you. They feel like they must always go it alone. At any rate, they didn't send soldiers for once and I guess they should be commended for that."

"True," Toroma nodded. "And a dignitary fell trying to bring about peaceful change. That, too, should be recognized, in spite of the clumsy way they went about it. We should send our condolences to the human consulate in the morning."

"An excellent idea, Toroma! And perhaps a few words during the Morning Benedictions."

Throughout the exchange, Collona's gaze never left Naranna. "I hadn't heard anything about this," Naranna said.

The wine in Collona's goblet rippled in her shaking hand. "Sometimes to find the truth about the quarians you have to dig for it, don't you?"

If Toroma noticed the acid behind Collona's words, she didn't comment on it. "Well, that's understandable, their entire population combined doesn't add up to our smallest republic. What are there, twenty million of them now?"

"Fifteen, I think," Yel interjected. "Maybe a little more."

"Well, I'm afraid for species with populations measured in _billions,_" Toroma used a set of tongs to lift several slices of meat and cheese into a napkin in her hand. "Their problems may not elicit a very strong response... Unless they happen to be occupying a populated system. Where are they, anyway?"

"Raheel-Leyya, I believe."

"Oh, well that's not going to bode well for the quarians, then is it. A Terminus system with no planetary bodies? Nothing for anyone to claim once they get there? They may be as good as extinct, I'm afraid."

Collona finally broke her lock on Naranna, now looking at Torona with abject horror. "How can you say that so... casually? These are _people, _Torona!"

"I'm not trying to be cruel," Torona said. "But I'm a realist. As tragic as their situation may be, the quarians simply do not matter to the galaxy at large. History has proven that, time and again. Unless the quarians can find someone to sponsor them, like the hanar did with the drell, their situation may be hopeless."

"Perhaps it should be the humans," Yel suggested. "After all, this is their mess to clean up."

"Oh, let's hope not. Having the hanar nurture an endangered species back to health is one thing... But the humans? What kind of example would they set? Maybe the hanar wouldn't mind taking them in. They're a very enlightened species."

Yel laughed. "Did I ever tell you about my friend Cyadni T'Pinn during her years on Kahje?"

Toroma slapped Yel's wrist lightly. _"This one_ never tires of hearing tales of Cyadni and the hanar! Do share them with our friends!"

Collona set her glass on the battlement and turned away, walking on shaking legs towards the bank of elevators at the north end of the wall.

"Excuse me," Naranna said and hurriedly walked after her. She kept her pace slow and deliberate so as not to attract attention, but Collona pushed her way through the crowd, spilling drinks and knocking matrons and matriarchs alike into the tables and each other as she passed. By the time she reached the elevator, half of the eyes on the rooftop pavilion were on her.

Naranna stopped and made for the outer wall. The lights of Fiatela still glimmered on the horizon, with streams of blinking lights moving to and fro to the celestial lights in the heavens above. Collona barely kept her composure after the geth incursion on the Quorum earlier that day, but what would she do now? The sensitive, emotional woman had always kept her eyes on the quarians since their expulsion, swaying votes for aid when she could, campaigning for representation for the quarian people at home and on the Citadel. But her pleas always fell on deaf ears, and to most she was nothing more than a soft-hearted curiosity. Some in the Quorum had bestowed upon her the title "Goddess of Lost Causes" because she seemed willing to wait until eternity before she'd give up.

But now... The human ambassador in the Flotilla had been killed, and one of the quarian liveships damaged in an explosion. While she couldn't say that she'd mind if the quarians as a people took their fleet and disappeared into the depths of space, the idea of seventeen million people slowly starving in space was enough to give her pause. That worried her even more, because if _she_ felt anything like sympathy towards the quarians at this point, she could only imagine what Collona was feeling. And if there was anything Naranna had learned throughout centuries of dealing with people of any species, guilt, not rage or even love, was the most dangerous emotion in the galaxy.

She leaned against the battlements and activated her omnitool. It's brightness adjusted to a low level in the dim light, but Naranna dropped it to it's lowest setting where it was barely readable. She opened a text window to Donia Toma, her Chief of Security. _Where are you right now? Locate Matriarch Collona immediately._

* * *

When Garrus passed through the _Normandy's_ lab, he planned to do a rapid about-face if the door to the briefing room was closed and locked. Even if it were closed with its holo panel glowing green, he didn't want to intrude. Tali had run from the CIC without so much as saying a word, and then Shepard disappeared after her. Though he wanted to be there for her as a friend, Garrus knew no one could comfort Tali better than her captain.

Instead, the hatch to the briefing room was open, Tali was speaking, but not to Shepard. He crept quietly up to the opening and listened.

"Captain Wylo has a point," Tali said. "But I think we need to plan for the worst. The processed food in the storage tanks on the outer ring will keep, as will the congealing tanks underneath... But if we don't act fast, we'll lose the fermentation layers. If we can keep them heated and get them transferred to the other two liveships, they will still be viable and can be slipstreamed into the processing chain."

Garrus poked his head around the corner. Shepard leaned against the hatch frame opposite and waved him in. He stood next to the Commander and kept his voice low. "How bad is it?"

Shepard nodded toward the projection, his expression grave. Tali stood in front of a huge schematic of the _Rayya, _stenciled in light in the air before them. Bright white lines delineated the great sphere and its inner workings as well as the engineering and cargo sections towards the rear. A swath of red cut from the aft through the length of the ship, widening as it went. A similar band of color bisected the sphere almost down the middle, but was off angle by thirty or forty degrees from the secondary hull. It looked uncomfortably like med scan of a body with a gunshot wound that deflected after entry.

_"This is insane,"_ said an angry quarian voice. _"You are talking about abandoning the single largest food supply in the fleet-" _The lone voice was soon drowned out by a dozen other voices, all trying to be heard over the others.

"Listen..." Tali leaned over the comm panel as if the speaker on the other end could see the desperation in her eyes. "Listen to me, please! I- I'm talking about extending the food supply for another two days before... before we lose _all _of it. My father... the Admirals organized a study..."

Once again, the channel was overwhelmed by at least ten different speakers. Tali looked at her birthship before her, bleeding to death in the vacuum of space, then hung her head in despair. What could she do to make them listen? She sensed someone beside her and opened her eyes to see Shepard standing over her, his face a mixture of sadness and disbelief. Then his lips thinned, and he reached out and pushed a button. The room went silent as the comm feed to the Conclave dropped.

"What are you doing?" Tali gasped. Even Garrus let out a soft groan from behind them.

Shepard leaned back against the table with his arms crossed, still staring at the engineer. "Giving them a chance to realize the person with the answers left the call."

"Shepard, _please!"_

Shepard stood to face her, a deep scowl on his face. "This isn't a 'please' situation, Tali. The _Rayya's_ entire engineering party has been killed. The bridge crew is dead, along with the captain and the entire Admiralty Board. You know more about that ship and its workings than any of them did, and they're cutting you out. Every minute they waste, a thousand more quarians go hungry, and you're the only one that can stop it."

"Incoming transmission from the Migrant Fleet," EDI said. Tali reached to the comm panel to answer, but Shepard pulled her hand away.

Garrus watched his two closest friends stand nose to nose, one having just hit the lowest point in her life while the person she trusted and admired most gave her a shove instead of offering a hand. More than anyone, Garrus could appreciate Shepard's tough love routine, having been in dire need several times in their journeys together. But Shepard always tailored it to the recipient, and seemed to know instinctively when to go for the hug instead of the slap. And right now, Tali did _not_ need the slap.

Shepard still stared at her as the comm panel continued to ring. "Remember back outside the _Giraf_ when I was getting ready to beat the shit out of Rilo? I was going to crack his helmet like an egg. And what a mess _that_ would have created. But I didn't have to. You stepped up and took control of that situation. I've never seen you do that before. I was _proud _of you, Tali. You handled him. You handled _me."_

He took a step back from her and pointed at the console. "Handle them."

Tali'Zorah flashed back to the dock at Dashta, where she stepped between Consul Rilo and her Commander and prevented a fight that would have certainly lead to a disaster of a different sort from the one that befell them later. She had done it at Freedom's Progress when she stood between Prazza and a trio of Cerberus agents in the middle of a colony where thousands of humans had just vanished without a trace. But then, she had been unable to convince her marine escort then to take her advice, and they all paid the price because she hadn't been strong enough. She couldn't let that happen again. Not now. There was too much at stake.

Shepard watched her expectantly. She took a deep breath and imagined what Shepard would say in her place, remembered the look he always had on his face after exiting the comm room after talking to the Citadel on the SR-1. He always went in calm, but upon exiting he seemed ready to take on Sovereign single handedly. She reached out for the switch. "This is Tali'Zorah vas Normandy," she said calmly.

_"Tali!"_ Captain Wylo was not calm. "_What- we lost the connection!"_

"No Captain, you didn't lose anything. I lost you, and it wasn't an accident."

_"What?" _Wylo's indignation was echoed by those who shared the channel.

"Captains, please," Tali said again, loudly and firmly, and then kept going when they did not stop. "Every minute we waste now, thousands of our people will starve later as what's left in the _Rayya's _tanks begins to rot. And I have been listening to you for twelve minutes going over the same reports. Let me break it down to language you can understand. The _Rayya_ is finished as a source for food." She shared the schematic of the ship again and manipulated it with her hands to emphasize her words. She looked over at Shepard, who nodded in approval. More voices tried to break in, but she simply raised her own, with a tone of authority to match. "The center axis, the structure connecting the sphere to the flywheels is shattered from the impact. Unequal torque during braking caused extensive shearing throughout the entire sphere. Even if the flow systems and containment vessels could be patched, if we restart rotation with even minimal load, it will rip the entire sphere to shreds. And since the entire cultivation and transport process is dependent on centrifugal force to deliver biomass to the outer rings, there is no possible way for production to continue."

Tali's words must have reached the ears of the captains on the other end, because there was only silence. A female captain finally spoke. _"Chief Zorah," _the woman said, for the first time using her title. _"How long would you estimate repairs to take on the sphere?"_

"Without a direct inspection, I can't say for certain. But from the damage control reports you've sent... one hundred to one-hundred twenty cycles, depending on available resources." Tali bit her lower lip. "Our only option is to salvage what we can, to try and make it last as long as possible until the damage can be repaired or a replacement for the _Rayya_ can be found."

_"Good gods..."_

"With careful rationing, most of us should survive. But we must act now, to save what we can."

_"What about the biomass?" _

Tali shook her head as the figures on the schematic continued to update. The biomass was the least of their problems. She tried to keep from projecting the future, but she couldn't help it. Starving and weak, the Flotilla would have to operate at minimal levels, becoming increasingly easy prey for anyone looking for a quick raid. "It's already beginning to die off. We might be able separate the materials if we had a large enough centrifuge but... by the time we could find one it will be too late. That's just another reason to direct our efforts to salvaging what we can before concentrating on repairs."

_"What's the quickest way to do this?"_

_Keelah,_ Tali thought and stared at the ceiling to keep her tears from splashing down her mask. _They're finally listening. _She didn't let her voice betray the relief coursing through her. Shepard put a hand on her shoulder. She muted her output as she cleared her throat and was instantly back to business. "The procedures are all laid out in the briefing titled 'Liveship Survivability Emergency Response.' In it are detailed plans for utilizing all available ships to transport foodstuffs at various stages in processing to other vessels in the event of disaster. The required programs already reside on most ships in the Flotilla, but require activation..." Tali had to stop and take a breath, as the severity of the attack on the Flotilla's command structure sunk in. "...from proper command authority in the fleet, which now means all of you. _Rayya's _entire outer sphere is modular in design, allowing for relatively easy separation to allow access to the inner rings..."

Shepard walked back Garrus by the hatch. The turian looked at his friend with an odd smile as Tali continued to talk.

"You need me for something?" Shepard asked.

Garrus shrugged. "No. I- just wanted to see how she was doing. Nicely done."

"She's come a long way."

"Well, I did what I could." Garrus grinned when that got him a look. "You helped too. A little. Okay, a lot. That's why you're the Commander."

Shepard looked over the schematic of the _Rayya _once more and sighed. With all of the concern over the food situation, he didn't recall anything about casualties or rescue efforts. His first impulse was to jump back on the line, but it wasn't his place to do so. The quarians had their own priorities, and Tali was doing a fantastic job on her own. "Wanna switch?"

"Not just no, but hell no." Garrus shook his head. "What the hell is happening here, Shepard? The day after we get hit at Dashta, someone executes a decapitation strike on the Migrant Fleet, coincidentally where the geth were supposed to be. I don't like coincidence. Because it never is coincidence, is it? I think we need to talk to our guest again, in light of recent events. And anyone else who might be able to shed some light on this new mystery."

"I think you're right," Shepard said. "Hang on a second." Shepard walked to the table and leaned forward to make sure he got into Tali's restricted peripheral vision. He didn't want to interrupt her conversation, but he didn't want to leave if she still needed him. He pointed to himself and then to the door.

Tali nodded as the Captains from the Conclave continued their planning. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled tiredly behind her mask, conveying thanks that she hoped he could read. No matter how bad things got, he was the one constant she could depend on. _What would you do with out him, _she thought?

He smiled back. _Message received._ Sometimes they didn't even have to say a word. The feeling of warmth that always gave Tali was short lived, however, as he turned for the door, and she turned back to the greatest salvage operation ever undertaken by the Migrant Fleet.

* * *

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_**Skybowl XXIV: "Never count us out!" **__- Sanves, Iallessa: The first half of the season, the Sanves Senators couldn't buy a break. An off-season change in ownership, an all-new and untested offensive staff, and the retirement of center Gallee T'lona left the team in shambles. With a dismal 3-16 start, few expected the team to even finish above .500. Two months later the squad known as "Blue Gold" enjoyed a modest winning streak that turned into the most unprecedented run for the championship in the history of the sport... __**(more)**_

_**Leaked Footage from Beyond Omega Four Surfaces - **__Citadel, Serpent Nebula: Video of a massive structure surrounded by an immense debris field appeared on many popular video sites earlier today. The low-quality images show what appear to be Council and Systems Alliance ships approaching the structure in tight formation. Using the ships to establish scale, estimates of the structure place it anywhere from ten to twenty kilometers in size, potentially making it half the size of the Citadel. Spokespersons for both the Citadel and Systems Alliance declined to make any statement as to the veracity of the vid or its possible origin._ _**(**__**more**__**)**_

_**Systems Alliance Ambassador Missing, Feared Dead**_ _- Raheel-Leyya: Ferdinand Castillo of the Human Systems Alliance is missing following an explosion while vising the Quarian Migrant Fleet. Ambassador Castillo joined the Flotilla in an attempt to bring together the Quarians the geth, but peace talks stalled and eventually faltered. The catastrophic explosion occurred while the Ambassador was touring a food production facility, and a search for survivors is underway. Alliance officials are not speculating about the origin of the blast, stating their primary concern was locating Castillo and the journalists accompanying him. An unknown number of quarians also perished in the explosion._


	50. The Story So Far

_**A/N - For Tomorrow We Die is back on the air. I can't promise regular updates or that it won't go into hibernation again, but I'll be cranking out chapters as long as I can.  
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_**This chapter contains no new material. It is a summary/recap of all 49 previous chapters. New material will begin with chapter 51. (which will be up this weekend) Any new readers should start at the beginning as this chapter is one big ol' spoiler.  
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_**Share and enjoy!**_

* * *

_The story so far..._

The collectors have been defeated beyond the Omega Four relay, and the _Normandy_ SR-2 is adrift in the accretion disk at the center of the galaxy after taking critical damage during the crash on the collector base. In spite of the ship's condition, the mood of the crew is relaxed after surviving days of battle, and contemplate what they will do now that the mission is over.

For Tali and Legion, it's already been decided. They will return to the quarian Migrant Fleet to jump-start the stalled peace process that had gotten underway just before _Normandy_ jumped through Omega Four. Tali is not hopeful. With her father dead, the Admiralty Board is deadlocked on how to proceed, and Tali fears the negotiations have been deliberately halted by both sides wanting to appoint someone who will break the stalemate in their favor.

Shepard calls the Illusive Man to give an update on the ship using the Quantum Array, the only communications available that can reach home. The Illusive Man is displeased, informing Shepard that the secret negotiations with the geth are no longer secret. The Citadel has revoked the human seat on the Council for going behind its back, and the geth themselves have disappeared. But mostly, he's angry that he had to find out about Shepard's involvement through the evening news. He asks Shepard to bring Legion back as soon as possible as it may be the only one who can contact the geth collective and find their intentions.

As the majority of the squad settles personal business and prepares for life after the _Normandy_, Shepard calls a meeting to discuss the Illusive Man's news. Someone in the Migrant Fleet apparently leaked the comm codes used during the negotiations which resulted in the exposure of a very active geth network throughout the galaxy. After going viral, millions if not billions of people joined in what amounted to a massive denial-of-service attack on the geth network, but their disappearance suggests someone may have released a virus that wiped them out. Legion, unable to connect to the collective from the center of the galaxy, asks to be returned home.

But before repairs to the drive system can be completed, the ship is jumped by oculus drones still patrolling the accretion disk. An explosion and fire rips through the engineering deck and four of the crew are killed, including Thane who was assisting in engineering, and Kenneth who was fighting the fire. Grunt is nearly lost in space but is rescued by quick-thinking human crew mates.

The _Normandy _manages to jump unnoticed back to Sahrabarik. There, they scan dozens of ships from several fleets belonging to the Terminus, the Alliance and the Citadel. The human and turian fleets, usually cooperative, now consider each other hostile as both have orders to bring Shepard and the _Normandy_ in, while the Terminus factions are furious at their presence of both. Legion is unable to detect any activity on the geth network, giving more weight to the theory the geth have been wiped out. With the ship even more badly damaged, Shepard has no choice but to call the Illusive Man and ask for help, which the Illusive Man gladly provides. However, with the Alliance already in the Citadel's cross-hairs because of suspected ties to Cerberus, the turians intercept the relief convoy before it can reach the _Normandy_. The _Normandy_'s position is compromised as a result, and Shepard orders the ship to get ready to move, and if necessary, fight their way out.

A volus trader, the MV _Pollus Maskawa_ jumps right on top of _Normandy_ and broadcasts a warning that the Citadel fleet is seconds behind and offers coordinates to a safe haven outside the search area. The voice is mechanical and identifies itself as geth, which confuses Legion as the geth network still appears dead. Shepard asks a question only the geth would know the answer to, and satisfied with the answer has EDI jump to the new location.

The _Pollus Maskawa_ is a disguised geth ship and has been sent by the collective to find Shepard. They explain the geth network was indeed hacked, but the geth quickly corrected the vulnerability by rewriting their network code and left unpatched nodes active so organics would continue to attack the compromised network. Legion has been unable to make contact because it still runs the old software revision. The geth are alive and well, and relieved that the _Normandy_ survived and eager to resume talks with their creators.

However, the geth refuse to allow Legion to be upgraded. They send a blue mobile platform, known simply as "Mobile Platform Two" aboard as a replacement. The blue platform explains that Legion was the source of the leak that got the geth network hacked in the first place. Shepard can't believe it until Legion admits it is true, though unintentional. As long as the negotiations were kept secret, Legion reasoned that the quarian Admiralty Board was going to make the decision for or against peace, and that the entire vote (and therefore the entire peace process) would come down to the yet-unconfirmed Admiral. The existing admirals had not revealed to the quarian public the true importance of the vote, letting the quarian people believe they were just refilling an empty seat. Legion leaked the quarian comm codes with the intention of exposing only the Admiral's duplicity, but hackers throughout the Migrant Fleet and then the galaxy used the information to penetrate the Alliance mediation team's network and consequently gained access to the collective. Shepard is furious with Legion, but Tali is ecstatic because Legion allowed the quarian people to have a voice. Legion's processes go into turmoil at having been excommunicated from the collective as well as earning Shepard's wrath.

Platform Two brings additional platforms who set about repairing the extensive damage to the ship. Garrus visits Shepard in his quarters to find out why Shepard is so angry. With the geth situation and newly exposed ties to Cerberus, the Alliance and Citadel are back to a level of hostility not seen since the First Contact War, and Shepard himself is responsible for both. Garrus quietly reminds Shepard that all their problems existed long before Legion exposed the quarian network, and that it's not Legions fault the universe is such a rotten place. He concludes by saying it's not Shepard's fault, either. Shepard relents and says he will try to convince the geth to accept Legion back into the collective.

But Legion offlines itself. The blue geth told Legion it could rejoin the collective only if its processes were split up and incorporated into separate platforms to prevent any further chance of disobeying consensus. Shepard tells Platform Two that it is effectively killing Legion, but P2 says that it was Legion's choice. A call from Admiral Hackett interrupts, and Shepard asks Tali to try and bring Legion back online before any final decision is made.

Tali finds Legion has locked access to its processes but manages to re-activate its audio receptors it so she can at least talk to them even if they won't talk back. She tells Legion Shepard apologized for not supporting it with the collective, but she knows that's not why it went offline. She tells it that being exiled herself, she knows how it feels and that at first she wanted nothing more than for the Fleet to take her back. But then she realized that, unbound by their rules, she could do more to help them as an exile than she ever could before. She asks Legion to consider that it might be the same with the geth collective, to think of itself not as exiled but free to do as it wanted from now on. Legion reactivates and says that it wants to stay with the _Normandy_, and Tali welcomes it back with open arms.

Hackett is relieved to hear Shepard is alive but reports the situation is grim. Cerberus agents are being found at every level of Alliance command, strengthening Citadel claims that Cerberus is actually a sanctioned black-ops front for the human government. Hackett begs Shepard to come in and give up the Illusive Man. Shepard says he can't do so until his crew is granted full immunity, which Hackett can't promise. When they finish the call, the Illusive Man calls immediately after. He's heard the conversation and warns Shepard that giving into the Council is a terrible mistake. The reaper threat is still imminent, but neither the Alliance or Council are doing anything about it. Cerberus is still the only hope of stopping them, a point Shepard can't refute. He agrees to keep working with Cerberus until the job is done. Shepard attempts to contact the Council, but they only tell him to surrender to the turians at Sahrabarik. Angry and disappointed that no one in power is listening to him, Shepard's spirits are lifted when he learns Tali has restored Legion once more.

Meanwhile, the turian frigate _Vellius_ joins the search for the _Normandy_ and in deep space witnesses what they believe is a geth dreadnought destroy an Alliance frigate. They shadow the giant ship and follow it to an uncharted mass relay. Their own mass effect core reacts as they get closer to the relay, giving away their position. The giant ship pursues the _Vellius_ as it races back to warn the turian fleet. The _Normandy_, hiding in deep space near Sarhabarik, listens to broadcasts describing the geth engaging the turian fleet near the Sahrabarik relay. They catch a video feed from a civilian ship recording the battle and are horrified to see a collector dreadnought laying waste to the turians. Shepard orders an intercept and the _Normandy_ charges in to engage the collectors.

The collector ship is surrounded by oculus that shreds the turian frigates that gets too close, and the collector's massive beam weapon slices up the turian cruisers who fight from a distance. Shepard hails the turians and pleads for assistance, telling the turians the _Normandy_ can destroy the enemy ship but needs cover fire to do it. The turian commander, Fleet Captain Lorian, refuses. However, Captan Artuis of the _Vellius_ can't figure out why the fugitive Shepard would help the people hunting him when he could easily get away. She orders her ship to _Normandy_'s wing. The _Vellius_ provides cover from the oculus with its GARDIAN system while _Normandy_ lines up with the Thanix cannon and puts a shot down the Collector ship's throat, destroying it. Fleet Captain Lorian orders Shepard to surrender even though his fleet is in ruins. Shepard, not wanting to waste a chance to explain the situation to a Citadel officer offers assistance. The nearby Alliance fleet, commanded by Commodore Rehme, jumps in and tells _Normandy_ to make a run for it while they provide cover. Shepard stays, asking Lorian if he wants to know what destroyed five ships of his task force. Another turian relief fleet jumps in and as the two sides prepare to engage when Lorian agrees and tells the newly arrived turians that the Alliance ships are assisting in rescue operations and both sides back down.

Shepard invites both fleet commanders to the _Normandy_ for a discussion about the alien ship which just attacked. Mordin prepares an elaborate briefing as Shepard gathers up members of the squad to attend. Rehme, Lorian and a Council representative named Enlea T'Vari meet in the briefing room. Lorian and T'Vari are floored at seeing a turian, quarian, salarian, an asari Justicar, and even a geth present. Lorian is at first unimpressed, but as Mordin gives an incredibly detailed presentation about the reaper threat begins to believe the incredible story. Shepard brings up the Reaper IFF and will hand the schematics to both the Alliance and Citadel provided they agree to secure the Collector Base together. Lorian bypasses the Council and goes directly to his superiors in the turian navy. Before long, Mordin is conducting another briefing to the highest ranking staff officers of both the Alliance and Citadel military forces.

Lorian asks to talk to Shepard in private. He asks Shepard how he came to work for Cerberus, and Shepard explains as best he can. Lorian then asks why Shepard risked his life to save his fleet, to which Shepard replies it was the right thing to do. Troubled by the casualties he suffered, Lorian admits that they would have all been killed if not for Shepard, and he realizes how wrong the Citadel has been about the former spectre and apologizes. Shepard in turn thanks him for calling his superiors and says Lorian should take comfort because he may have just saved everyone the galaxy by alerting his superiors to the reaper threat, something Shepard had tried to do unsuccessfully for three years.

Meanwhile, Gabriella Daniels, a casualty in the oculus attack beyond Omega Four, is being brought out of her coma in the med lab. Tali paces outside, trying to figure out how she's going to tell Gabby that Ken was killed. She notices Legion is watching and assumes it needs to get to the AI core, but Legion says it too is waiting to see Gabby, as its research indicates organics have positive physiological responses when friends are around to comfort them. Legion also notes that Tali seems particularly stressed, and Tali is momentarily distracted by the concept of a geth expressing friendship. Together they break the news to Gabby, who becomes hysterical. Legion believes they have failed to help.

Shepard gets another call from the Illusive Man, furious that Shepard gave away the key to the Omega Four Relay. Shepard tells him to get over it, that humanity can't win alone and that if protecting humans is TIM's mission this is the best plan. TIM reluctantly agrees, and ultimately compliments Shepard on his ability to bring the military forces back together. He points out that on the diplomatic side that things are still a mess because of the geth issue. TIM wants to see Shepard bring quarians and geth together because he believes the geth have greatest manufacturing and resource gathering capability in the galaxy. He wants the geth to see humans as allies and helping them reconcile with the quarians will ensure that. Shepard agrees to get the geth platforms back to the Migrant Fleet to re-open negotiations.

But helping the quarians is a ruse. TIM just wants to get access to the geth so his own scientists can subjugate them with a virus, securing dominance of the geth for humanity. After disconnecting from Shepard, TIM calls Dr. Archer and asks why he no longer has control over EDI and the _Normandy_, as well as getting an update on the virus. Archer explains that EDI is still unshackled and that Miranda has to know about it and is therefore covering it up along with Shepard. As for the virus, and Archer says that like Admiral Xen they have no recoded geth specimens on which to test. TIM says he will think of a way to draw the _Normandy_ out and take the blue geth on board at the same time as preventing the Xen from completing her research first.

On the _Rayya_, in the Raheel-Leyya system, the daily negotiation session ends once more without any progress. Eric Dahlberg, a Future Content reporter (replacing Emily Wong, who has been reassigned to the Omega Four story) is attached to Alliance Ambassador Castillo who is supposed to mediate. But after days of no-shows by the geth, interest is waning, even amongst the quarians. Koris is beside himself that the chance for peace may be lost. Raan is also pushing for peace and berates Xen for prolonging the selection of the new admiral, accusing Xen that getting the negotiations to fail was part of her plan. Xen is disgusted that Raan and Koris are demeaning themselves by going along with the negotiations, and Gerrel seems indifferent to the whole matter.

In a closed door session, Han'Gerrel complains to Daro'Xen that their plans to re-take the homeworld are far behind schedule. Gerrel has the entire fleet ready to strike Rannoch, but since Xen has no test geth subjects she can't regain control of the geth, which would allow the quarians to return home without firing a shot. With all the geth having disappeared, she knows of only one platform available: Legion, on the _Normandy_. Gerrel reminds Xen that Shepard will do anything to protect his crew, including Legion, and Xen says she has a plan that will take care of that.

Back on the _Normandy_, Legion observes Gabby, still in her hospital gown, sitting alone in the engineering sublevel where Kenneth was killed. It goes down to find out why. Gabby asks how the explosion happened, worried Ken might have been the cause. Legion explains that damage from the crash caused an overload during weapon power up. After the explosion, Ken sealed himself in the sublevel to prevent the fire from spreading and actually saved the ship. Gabby is both elated and saddened and breaks down in front of Legion, who succeeds in comforting her based on its observations of other organics.

Tali gets a call from Admiral Gerrel at the Migrant fleet. She is at first cold toward her father's friend until he says he's come around on the negotiations and asks Tali to bring Legion to the fleet as soon as possible so communication with the geth collective can resume. He also apologizes for everything that happened at her trial and tells her that he's doing everything he can to clear her name. Tali is elated and rushes off to tell Legion and Platform Two. Gerrel, on his end, tells Xen (who has been watching) that whatever she has planned had better not put Tali in danger.

In CIC, the crew listens to the first reports of a turian scout beyond Omega Four, utilizing a fabricated copy of the IFF from the Normandy. It confirms the presence of the Collector Base and relays information for follow-on joint missions to secure it. Fleet Captain Lorian receives a recall order from the Citadel having been relieved of his command pending investigation of the disaster at Sahrabarik. Rehme and Shepard are angered by this after coming to respect Lorian, but he follows the order stating he's responsible for what happened to his fleet.

The Citadel Council calls to confirm the order and requests to talk to Shepard directly. They apologize for not believing Shepard and thank him for turning over the IFF and all the information on the reapers. They promise that every resource available is being tapped to mount a defense and want to reconcile with the Alliance, and like Hackett ask Shepard to turn himself in and help track down the Illusive Man. Shepard says before he makes any promises, he needs assurances that his crew won't be arrested, which he does not get. As for the geth, the Citadel insists they be allowed to take over negotiations. Shepard refuses on the grounds that neither the quarians or the geth trust the council after 300 years of neglecting the issue and hangs up on the Council when they try to force the issue.

While Shepard is on the call, Lorian and Enlea T'Vari return to their turian cruiser. Shepard sees Rehme to his shuttle in the hangar, where a pair of geth work diligently to repair damage from the two of them talk briefly about how the "flashlight heads" used to be feared and where relations will go. Rehme wishes Shepard luck and hands him Enlea T'Vari's datapad, which contains all the information the Citadel had been gathering on his crew. Shepard thanks him and has EDI and Miranda start going through it. EDI says Legion would like to see him in Engineering.

In engineering, Legion is arguing with Platform Two about resuming negotiations. Shepard asks for an explanation, and Tali explains Gerrel's invitation. He is sending a ship to pick up the geth in the Erinle system. Shepard says it's too risky and that he doesn't trust the Admirals, and Legion agrees. Blue, on the other hand, is adamant that the negotiations resume and insists that they go, reasoning that the worst that can happen is that the quarians capture it and it self destructs. Seeing that Blue has made up its mind to go, Shepard says he will deliver them to Erinle on one condition: that he be allowed to come with them just to make sure everything is on the level.

Shepard gathers the crew and announces the plan, as well as offering a eulogy for the dead crew members, including Thane and Ken. Since most of the squad is still wanted in citadel space, it would be best if they got off the ship undetected. _Normandy_ will deliver Tali and Blue to Dashta Interchange Station in orbit around Erinle for pickup by the quarians. At the same time, the squad and most of the Cerberus crew will be allowed to disembark and disappear until the heat dies down. But not everyone is happy to go. Garrus doesn't want to leave because the last time he and Shepard parted ways, Shepard died. Grunt doesn't want to go back to Tuchanka, where there are only varren and krogan to kill. Kasumi will miss her friends, especially Jacob, but decides that it's too dangerous for a low-profile thief to stay on such a wanted ship. Zaeed has no regrets about leaving and wants to resume his hunt for Vido Santiago. Samara questions her dedication to the Justicar Code and plummets into depression, wondering if her life has been wasted serving a questionable cause. Jack, furious that Shepard is still working with Cerberus, severs all contact and disappears alone onto the station.

Tali, Legion, Blue and Shepard wander Dashta's dirty, deserted corridors looking for the quarian ship. Shepard is depressed that so many of the squad is leaving, and Tali cheers him up by reminding him most will be coming back. Kal'Reegar shows up ahead of them to welcome them aboard the quarian ship _Giraf _and gets a warm greeting from Tali and Shepard. He is a little wary of the geth but recognizes Legion and greets him as well. Blue enters a diplomatic mode where it simulates a quarian woman with a natural sounding voice, gestures and a singular name, which Reegar and Tali do not like at all.

Captain Carn of the _Giraf_ comes out, along with Consul Rilos whom remembers Shepard from Tali's trial. (Shepard threatened to crack Rilos' helmet.) Rilos orders Tali and Legion aboard, refusing entry to Shepard and Blue as they were not invited. Blue, backed by Shepard says very politely that it is the acting geth dignitary and if Shepard can't come the deal is off. Rilos tries to argue and Shepard prepares to make good on his earlier threat, but Tali steps in and puts Rilos in his place. Carn and Rilos return to the ship to get new orders while the four _Normandy_ crew and Reegar wait outside.

Around the station, the departing crew wait for their respective flights to leave. Garrus sits alone in a dock, thinking about his last conversation with Shepard. Zaeed sits at a bar, regaling the other customers with tales from beyond Omega Four, realizing it was the first time he didn't come back alone. Samara meditates sadly in another abandoned dock while Grunt has lunch in a fast food joint with the departing Cerberus crew, including those thatsaved his life during the oculus attack beyond Omega Four. Kasumi spies on Shepard and Tali and reflects on her life on the ship and the friends she has made before disappearing into the shadows.

Jack is eager to find some low-life scum to hang with on the seedy station, but finds all the bars and clubs shut down. She finds a group of people getting high in an alley and joins them. One of them, a stoned mercenary, recognizes her as "Subject Zero" and goes for his weapon. She kills him, along with the rest of the party except for a young girl who obviously was a non-combatant. She explains she lives on Dashta and hundreds mercenaries showed up, waiting for someone. Having no more useful information, Jack knocks her out and sneaks out of the alley, intending to flee the station. Realizing the entire crew might be in danger, she decides not to run. She disguises herself with the girl's clothing and steps through a nearby door where a batarian is standing guard. She bums a smoke from him and she gets the bored guard to talk. The Blood Pack, Blue Suns and Eclipse have sent their best troops to Dashta to take out the crew of the _Normandy_, and they are just waiting for the word to go. He tells her to stay off the docks because it's going to be very dangerous, very soon. The order to move out comes in and the guard gets up to roust his friends outside, but Jack volunteers to do it. As soon as Jack is out the door, she runs fill-tilt back to the ship.

Back on the _Normandy_, Kelly gets a call on the ship's emergency line from Jack. Miranda listens in, thinking Jack is calling to ask for money or to come back, but Jack begs her to recall everyone to the ship and get away because of an impending attack. Miranda is unsure at first, but has a flashback to the Collector Base when Jack was instrumental in saving several of the Cerberus crew from death and orders the recall. Jack is cut off just as the ship shudders from an explosion.

Around the station, the scattered _Normandy_ crew come under violent attack from all directions. Powerful jamming prevents any communication, but it seems to be affecting the mercenaries as well. Back at the _Giraf_, Kal'Reegar orders Tali to get aboard. Shepard tells Tali to take the geth and go with Reegar and runs toward the sounds of battle. Tali and Legion charge after him. Blue snatches Reegar's rifle from his hand and follows. Reegar, confused and frustrated, pulls out a pistol and takes up the rear as they fight their way back to the _Normandy._

Back on the ship, three assault shuttles attempt to forcibly dock at different points on the hull. Joker destroys two of them, but one has managed to breach the hull over the Commander's quarters. Jacob, in tactical command, prepares to defend the ship, but with most of the squad and crew on the docks, their options are limited. Outnumbered and outgunned, Jacob arms the geth platforms on the ship. He and Mordin ambush the mercs, then send in the geth. The mercenaries who have boarded panic at the sight of the geth and are cut down before they can reach the cockpit, where Miranda has holed up to protect Joker.

Meanwhile, the turian frigate _Vellius_ has followed the _Normandy_ to Erinle on the orders of Enlea T'Vari, who is taking orders from an unknown authority on her omnitool. Having found the _Normandy_, Captain Artuis tries to report but is cut off by Enlea, who orders her to take no action. As ships flee the area, it's obvious the _Normandy_ is under attack. Arguing that it's their duty to protect the station, if not assist the _Normandy_, Artuis orders the destruction of the source of the jamming, a batarian ship docked at the station. Enlea is unable to stop her.

With communications restored on the station, the squad is able to coordinate their movements and attacks. Shepard contacts the _Normandy_ and orders it to find a dock away from the fighting for a pickup. Garrus finds Grunt defending the restaurant where the Cerberus crew is pinned down and guides the squad in to aid in their defense while Shepard and his team go in search of Jack. They find her in a blown-out store, surrounded by enemy dead. She herself has been critically wounded, and Shepard promises to get her back to the ship. The entire crew regroups and escapes.

The news feeds erupt with stories of the "Dashta Massacre," hyped up as a Cerberus attack on the peaceful station. The Citadel Council is aghast, having effectively pardoned Shepard only hours earlier. Asari Councilor Tevos tries to remain calm, reminding her counterparts that the larger issue is the coming reaper invasion and to let Shepard deal with the repercussions on his own. She is soon contacted electronically by an unknown person who orders her to keep track of the _Normandy_ and prevent any contact between the geth and quarians.

On the _Normandy_, the squad gathers to figure out who hit them on Dashta, and why. From a dead member of the boarding party, they find a bounty list of every person aboard the ship. Shepard orders all communications cut with the Alliance, the Migrant Fleet, and Cerberus until the perpetrator can be found. Meanwhile the geth begin a second round of repairs on the ship, and Blue apologizes to Shepard for getting them into trouble.

At the Migrant Fleet, Rilos returns on the _Giraf_ and informs the Admirals and the Conclave that the geth are gone, effectively terminating the negotiations. He blames Shepard for keeping the geth from boarding and then starting the fight on the station. Again, in private, Gerrel and Xen meet, and Gerrel is enraged over the destruction of a space station and the deaths of so many innocents. Xen shrugs him off, saying it was necessary to try and get rid of Shepard, who might have attacked the fleet with similar force when they kidnapped the geth and took over the collective. Gerrel says the whole bloody affair was for nothing, as they failed to even get the geth, but Xen is satisfied that at least the negotiations will probably be called off altogether.

The Illusive Man also watches the after-effects of Dashta unfold, with Cerberus taking the blame. He has his media arm gather every positive exploit Shepard has ever done, intending to show the galaxy that Shepard is a hero instead of a monster. An aide reports that citizens around the galaxy are already doing so. Shiala from Zhu's Hope has erected a web site detailing how Shepard had saved her colony, which is featured in a galaxy-wide broadcast by Emily Wong. She interviews several people saved by Shepard over the years. The greatest coup is an interview with Urdnot Wrex, who threatens to violently kill the people responsible for framing his friend, which goes viral and almost negates the bad press coming from Dashta.

The broadcast is seen by Enlea T'Vari aboard the _Vellius_, who begins to question if she is on the right side. Having been secretly following the _Normandy_ since Sahrabarik, she asks Captain Artuis to contact Commander Shepard directly. Enlea and Artuis transfer to the _Normandy_ via shuttle. Enlea is coldly received by Shepard, who realizes Enlea has been tracking them thanks to the datapad she left behind. Enlea agrees to tell Shepard everything, and Shepard calls a conference in the briefing room.

Enlea reveals she works for an asari shadow organization of matriarchs devoted to keeping stability in the galaxy. She uses her position at the Citadel to feed them information. While she is not a trained operative, she was the only asset available to get aboard the _Normandy_. Her current mission is to prevent contact between the geth and quarians, by destroying the _Normandy_ if necessary. The matriarchs are worried that the quarians plan to subjugate the geth.

Tali and Legion enter just as Enlea reveals her orders to stop the negotiations. Tali attacks Enlea and is quickly subdued by Shepard. Legion, on Tali's heels, also tries to kill Enlea but halts on Shepard's orders. Shepard has Garrus escort Tali and Legion from the room. Enlea is outraged that Shepard takes no punitive action against them, and Shepard dresses her down, saying he has every reason to trust Tali and Legion and no reason to trust her. If Enlea truly wants to help, she needs to reveal everything she knows. Enlea gives in, explaining that she can't be a part of killing the best chance for survival. She offers her omnitool to Miranda for analysis and asks that Artuis be told the truth about the reapers.

In the Armory, Garrus babysits Tali who is incensed that the Council is interfering in quarian matters. Legion spends time repairing himself with spare parts from the other geth. Blue tries to convince Tali to be calm, but its fake quarian persona only makes her angrier. Blue insists that the geth must find out of the asari are telling the truth about the quarians. Garrus asks how they plan to do that given that the _Normandy_ is on a security lockdown. Blue says Mobile Platform Three has departed to Thessia to find out everything it can. Legion correctly identifies the volus transport _Pollus Maskawa_ as an independent geth mobile platform. Garrus has the unpleasant duty of informing Shepard the security lockdown has been circumvented, but there is more bad news.

Jack has died of her wounds. Garrus tries to convince Shepard it's not his fault, but Shepard takes full responsibility and berates Garrus for being so unfeeling when Jack sacrificed herself to save the ship. Artuis returns to the _Vellius,_ and Miranda and Enlea go to Miranda's quarters to analyze the data in the asari's omnitool.

In the Armory, Tali is worried about how Legion will be perceived in the negotiations compared to Blue, and enlists Jacob's aid in repairing Legion's exoskeleton. They remove Legion's N7 armor remnants, and it grips them tightly, not wanting to throw them away. Jacob works out a way to mold them into Legion's new armor set. While the two organics repair the geth, they talk about Jack and how they should feel sadness that she is gone but neither can, instead making thoughtless jokes about her choice of clothing. Legion stops them by saying "She was one of us."

In Miranda's quarters, she and Enlea go over the data in her omnitool. Miranda compares the data against the Cerberus database and finds the asari matriarchs are responsible for hundreds of unsolved crimes over decades ranging from price fixing to intimidation tactics to assassination. Enlea protests that everything was done for the greater good, but Miranda is able to show a pattern that whenever the matriarchs were involved, the asari came out on top. She concludes that Enlea works for the asari equivalent to Cerberus, which Enlea angrily denies but slowly comes to realize is the truth as more deeds are uncovered. Miranda explains she has much experience in the area, which leads to a revelation about the battle at Dashta.

On Thessia, Matriarch named Naranna oversees what appears to be a routine network failure in a republic capitol building. In reality, the "network failure" was a panicked attempt to halt a geth intrusion by Mobile Platform Three. Naranna's security adviser says the geth took control of security mechs in the building and penetrated a physically isolated secure data center. Naranna alerts another matriarch, Collona. Three hundred years ago, Collona was on Rannoch assisting the quarians in developing the geth. Naranna was the asari Councilor on the Citadel at the time. Officially, the Council banned the research, but the turians and salarians were eager to put the technology to use. So the Council turned a blind eye to it and allowed private research behind the scenes. When the geth became sentient and rebelled, the Council publicly denounced the dangerous research and disavowed any knowledge of the crisis. As the uprising turned into a system-wide slaughter, the Citadel went into active denial, claiming the quarians got what they deserved.

Matriarch Naranna is revealed to be the person responsible for giving orders to Enlea T'Vari (via Councilor Tevos) to destroy the _Normandy_. Collona flashes back to her last day on Rannoch as she and others in a skyscraper rushed to the roof for an air evacuation as the city falls under geth attack. Collona's sister and their boss have a stressful conversation away from the quarians: asari-model geth platforms and other materials are still in the lab thirty floors down and need to be recovered, because if they are found asari participation can be proven. Collona's sister gives her a bag full of illegal equipment and tells her to get it to safety while she and her boss run back to get the rest and get it out on the next flight. As Collona's evac flight takes off, she looks out the window and sees the massive scale of the geth uprising as the entire city is now a battleground.

In _Normandy_'s armory, Tali and Jacob finish the repairs on Legion. Now clad in white armor with a fresh N7 logo on its chest, they put it through a series of function checks to make sure everything is working. Both are amazed when Legion sees a reflection of itself in its new armor and stands at attention.

In the galley, Shepard is eavesdropping on Garrus, Mordin and Blue as they discuss the aftermath of Dashta, specifically Jack's death and Commander Shepard's reaction to it. Kasumi catches Shepard spying and drags him to the table with her. As they eat, Garrus sends Tali a message that Shepard is in a bad way and needs cheering up. Tali replies that she has just the thing. She and Jacob bring the newly re-finished "Legion 2.0" to the galley to show off his repairs and improvements. They ask Blue its opinion, and Tali is quickly annoyed by its mimicry of a quarian and asks Blue to stop. Garrus eggs it on out of spite. Legion comes to Tali's rescue, tricking Garrus into exposing a very embarrassing secret in front of the whole crew, which gets even Shepard laughing again.

The happy moment is short lived as Miranda comes in and announces that she knows who's responsible for the attack at Dashta. In the briefing room, she gives a detailed analysis of the attack and reasons that the only people who could have known where the _Normandy_ was going to be were the quarian Admirals who sent the ship to pick up Tali and Legion. Enlea reinforces Miranda's theory by pointing out that the pickup was arranged on the opposite side of the station from where the ambush was staged. Shepard brings Kal'Reegar in for questioning, and he verifies the timing of his orders to go to Dashta. Garrus argues that the quarians have no motive for wanting them dead, and Shepard shows the group an email from Admiral Xen following the disaster on the Alerai, promising to finish the research and take control of the geth - and Xen knows what lengths Shepard will go to protect Legion.

Blue reverts to standard geth mode and asks to contact the collective to warn them. Shepard agrees, and the geth break off negotiations with the quarians. Xen and Gerrel decide to proceed with their planned strike on Rannoch even without Xen's research being complete. The Alliance ship which delivered the ambassador notes odd movements in the Migrant Fleet and relays the news to command. The Illusive Man, fearing the quarians have completed their virus, orders his ship to Ma-At, the location of an orbiting quarian lab which is waiting to inject the virus when they receive it. TIM orders his ship to take the lab, which he promises will be abandoned shortly. He orders his agents to carry out his plan to keep the quarians from attacking and subjugating the geth.

At the Migrant Fleet, Ambassador Castillo is politely asked to leave. Eric Dahlberg and his assistant are thrilled to be going. Castillo tells the quarians not to give up, and asks Xen to walk with him to their shuttle. Castillo begs Xen to read an Alliance report on how the geth have changed since their creation and to give them a chance. Xen refuses, maintaining that the geth are malfunctioning equipment, not sentient beings. But she does thank him for trying and being genuinely concerned with the quarian people before departing.

The ambassador and the reporting team board a rickety shuttle to take them back to the _Shenyang_. As soon as the doors are closed, Dahlberg attacks and kills their quarian escorts, then kills his assistant and Ambassador Castillo. The pilot, hearing gunfire, calls to find what's happening. Dahlberg claims the quarian escorts murdered the Ambassador and screams to be let out. A deep cover Cerberus agent acting on orders from TIM, Dahlberg puts the shuttle's drive into maintenance mode and programs an FTL jump into the sphere of the _Rayya_. Surrounded by security forces, he triggers the drive manually, propelling the shuttle through the _Raaya_ at the speed of light.

As the Migrant Fleet declares a fleetwide emergency, TIM receives word that the quarians have abandoned their position at Ma-At. TIM now waits for the _Normandy_ to arrive at the Migrant Fleet to assist, bringing the geth with it.

On the _Normandy_, Tali reports to Shepard in his ruined quarters. Shepard tells her that the geth have withdrawn from negotiations and the Alliance is pulling their ambassador out. He asks her how they should deal with the Admiralty Board's treachery. Tali says they need to go to the Conclave, who will then charge the involved admirals with treason and have them removed. She asks Shepard to unlock the communications array to contact the head of the Conclave. As soon as she connects, her omni-tool goes into an emergency mode, detailing the disaster on the _Rayya. _Tali collapses from shock. When she wakes a few minutes later, she reads about the damage done. The liveship is almost completely destroyed, with most of its crew killed along with the Admiralty Board. With Shepard in CIC talking to the Alliance about the crisis, she goes to the briefing room and contacts the Conclave. Shepard follows her in.

The captains of the Conclave argue and bicker about what has to be done and talk over Tali's plan to salvage the food that's left in favor of trying to repair the ship. Shepard hangs up on them, much to Tali's dismay, and tells her she can't be afford to be meek during a crisis like this. He tells her how impressed he was with her at Dashta when she talked both Consul Rilos and himself down and tells her she can do it again. When the Conclave calls back, Tali takes control and forcefully shares her analysis: the Rayya is finished and they have to hurry to salvage as much food as possible before it goes bad. Seeing Tali is in charge, Shepard leaves to go investigate the attack further and plan the _Normandy_'s next move.

On Thessia, Matriarch Naranna enjoys a late night dinner and wine party on the roof of the capitol with hundreds of other asari dignitaries. She overhears Collona talking to two other Matriarchs about the crisis at the quarian fleet and the death of the human ambassador. Consensus is that the attack was the result of humanity interfering in a diplomatic matter they were unqualified to mediate, but agree that at least the humans were trying diplomacy instead of shooting things up like they seem prone to do. Collona is beside herself with anger that no one at all seems concerned about the fate of the quarians and storms out of the party. Concerned about what Collona might do, Naranna calls her security chief and tells her to find and detain Collona as soon as possible.


	51. No Help Coming

"Well, viewers, I've got just a few minutes left and I thought I'd spend them covering a bit of news that hasn't been getting a lot of play from other sources, so as usual it's up to me to enlighten and educate. Hours ago, one of our ambassadors, a Ferdinand Castillo, was killed in an explosion at the quarian fleet which destroyed what they call a 'liveship.' This ship provides the quarians, who as you know have no homeworld, a steady source of food. Well now, it looks like their gravy train may have come rolling to a stop.

"Why should you care, you may ponder? Why should you get involved? This doesn't sound like a human problem, you say? It isn't yet, but it may very will become one. Let's play back a clip from a particularly lucid gentleman from just this past week.

_"The 'Migrant' Fleet. Ha. Let's take a close look at what that means. Migration, by definition, means moving from one destination to another... Look it up in the dictionary. _'To move from one country or region and settle in another.' _The quarians don't migrate. They're not settling anywhere. They've never even tried adapting or integrating with any other culture... Maybe it's time we start calling the flotilla what it really is. The _Vagrant Fleet. _They don't contribute. They don't build. They take. They consume. They descend on a system like locusts and strip bare any planet they can reach... Even their mere passing will tie up a mass relay for days. Imagine having to wait a week before traversing the Charon relay just to get to Arcturus. Imagine for a moment, what would happen if the Vagrant Fleet were to come to Sol. I hate to say it, but if the quarians and geth can't make peace, can that be far behind? Are we going to offer up our home to the poor, helpless quarians? Is our solar system next to host the great galactic tent city, until what little resources we have left are sucked dry? ... We have it pretty good here, and it makes us complacent. And even though Chicken Little runs around with his tiny wings in the air screaming 'the sky is falling' sometimes it's not just an acorn falling from a tree. This time, the sky may truly be falling."_

"That's right, viewers. I called it. Chalk up another one, you heard it on this program first. The quarians are going to be looking for a new home real soon, and thanks to our involvement with the geth negotiations, some people are saying we're on the short list. It may not be a matter of if, but when. And if they do come here, we'll never be rid of them. So maybe the time to let your voice be heard is now, not later. Let our 'leaders' know that we don't want Earth to become a galactic halfway house for seventeen million vagrants. Hand 'em a map to Palaven, Thessia or Sur'Kesh, but not Earth. Because this is _not_ a human problem, and we need to do whatever we can to make sure it doesn't become one. We have to take a break. We'll be right back..."

* * *

As Shepard and Garrus walked back to CIC, the last thing they wanted was to hear raised voices.

"How do we know they _didn't_ do it?" Reegar shouted at Enlea as they stood next to Kelly's vacant console, pointing at the blue geth across from them with Miranda standing between them. "Maybe they were looking for a little payback. Wouldn't take much for them, would it? To reprogram a ship and turn it into a missile?"

"Ah," Enlea tried to back away. "I really don't know enough about the situation to have an opinion..."

"We did not cause this," Platform Two said, its head flaps twitching.

"Then who did?" Reegar's outburst even made the crew in their seats turn around in surprise.

Miranda stood in front of the marine with her arms crossed. "Mister Reegar, you're not thinking clearly right now. I understand how you feel but I need you to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, tell me where Shepard is! Tell me why we're not heading back to the Fleet! Tell me why you're taking this thing's side-"

Miranda's eyes flicked past Reegar as Shepard and Garrus approached. "Commander."

Reegar had been relieved of his weapons when he came aboard, but Shepard couldn't keep from giving him a quick inspection to make sure he hadn't procured one from somewhere else. Fortunately, the marine was only armed with words. He walked toward Reegar with Garrus right next to him. Enlea ducked behind them, not wanting to be attacked by another quarian. "What's going on here?" Shepard asked.

"Commander!" Reegar whirled to face him. The ordinarily calm soldier was anything but. "Tali and I need to get back to the Fleet. Right now."

"Tali's on the horn with the Conclave, right where she needs to be. Let her-"

Reegar stood nose-to-nose with Shepard, one of the few quarians able to look the tall human in the eyes. "That wasn't a request, Shepard."

Shepard's face was devoid of emotion. "You need to take two steps back and remember where you are." Garrus moved closer, wearing a deep scowl, while Miranda kept focused on Shepard, waiting for the slightest indication to act.

Reegar looked at the grim-faced turian next to Shepard and at the frightened eyes of the asari behind them. Shepard was right. He wasn't on an enemy ship. He let out a deep breath. "I urgently request immediate transport back to Raheel-Leyya. I've got to get back there, sir. I've got do _something._"

Shepard nodded, happy to be talking once again to the Kal'Reegar he'd come to know. "I understand, and I promise we're going to do everything we can. Like I said, Tali's talking to Conclave right now. They're going to take stock of the situation and come up with plan. When she says she needs to go, we'll hustle her back. If we can't go ourselves, I'll let her have one of the Kodiaks. Good enough?"

"Yes, sir. It's just that- every quarian has been ordered back to help out. Even exiles. I need to be there too. Especially if what I'm hearing is true."

"What's that?"

Reegar looked directly into Shepard's eyes so he could see the Commander's reaction. "That there's no help coming."

Shepard looked at the deck. "No. Not yet."

Reegar laughed. "Figures."

"Reegar... The Alliance and Citadel are preparing for invasion on a galactic scale. That's going to take every asset at their disposal. This couldn't have happened at a worse time. I'm not saying it's right. In fact, I think it stinks. But the fact is-"

"The fact is no one cares, Shepard. No need to dance around it. We know. We've known it for hundreds of years. Even if this reaper thing hadn't come up, what do you think would happen? The Citadel Council would issue a proclamation, right? Send a lot of condolences, maybe a nice speech. But you can't feed people with words."

Miranda spoke softly. "The private citizenry of both Citadel and Alliance space have offered support in many crises. Charity can be very effective if properly organized."

"We can't eat money either," Reegar snapped. He looked at the former Council representative. "What we need are transports." He then turned to the only other dextro in the room. "And food."

Shepard looked down at the floor again. He'd met many quarians whose perspective of the galaxy extended only as far as the furthest picket ship in the Flotilla, but he never saw Reegar as one of them. At the same time, Reegar was right. Even without the threat of the reapers, he couldn't think of a single government that would expend the resources to keep millions of people alive, or give their fleet a safe haven while they conducted repair. Why should they? It would be a costly, open-ended commitment that no government wanted. The galaxy had proved it over three centuries. The only reason to help would be because it was the decent thing to do, and sometimes Shepard wondered if there was that amount of goodwill in the galaxy.

He looked past Reegar to Mobile Platform two. If there was anyone who could assist in every possible capacity, it was the sentient machine standing behind the quarian. The geth, always eager to please and constantly volunteering to help had been surprisingly quiet. But then again, all Reegar had done was make accusations toward its kind, when all he needed to do was ask. Reegar didn't realize it, but he was biting the only hand that could realistically feed him. What Shepard really needed was a quarian who didn't see the geth as an enemy...

"Garrus," he said. "Why don't you take Kal down to the galley and grab a bite to eat."

"I'm not hungry," Reegar snapped, "It's not like I'm back at the Flotilla."

"Well then let me put it to you this way," Shepard said. "I don't want you in the CIC your current state. You're confined to the crew deck until you get your head on straight. You read me, marine?"

Reegar looked as though he was about to argue, then his eyes disappeared behind his face mask. When he re-opened them, they'd lost their fire. "Yes, sir. Look, Commander... I'm sorry. This is just- We've never faced a situation like this before, and it's hard to be a team player when there's no one else on your team. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do." Shepard said. He shot a quick glance at Platform Two, then looked back at Reegar. "But the game's not over yet. Now get out of here."

"Yes, sir." Reegar walked to the elevator and Garrus followed. Reegar gave Shepard a tired look, and Shepard waved Garrus off. As the lift door shut behind the quarian, Garrus walked back to where Shepard and the others stood.

"Well," Garrus said. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

Shepard leaned with his back against the comm podium. He looked between his XO and the asari. "I want you two to start looking into who hit the _Rayya._ It's a mighty big coincidence that this happened so soon after Dashta. And it never is coincidence, is it?"

Garrus stroked his mandibles. "That sounded better when I said it."

"Enlea," Shepard said, "Can you access your group's resources without giving away our location?"

The asari looked startled at being addressed, but nodded. "I know a trick or two to hide my tracks. I don't know if I'll still have access, but I'll certainly try."

"Good. And there's someone else you should call." Shepard activated the comm panel. He clicked through several panes of information. "Liara T'Soni, on Illium. Let me pull up her contact information. I've got it right here. She's, uh... Damn it, I thought I saved that off to my 'favorites...'"

Miranda closed her eyes. "I have her information, Commander."

"Right." Shepard switched off the terminal. "Miranda will put you in touch with her. She's an old friend. Who knows, she might be an old friend of yours, too. You run in the same circles."

Enlea nodded. "I had her dossier. She was part of your crew."

"Now she's an information broker," Shepard said.

"One of the best," Miranda said. "Shepard, you know she going to ask again, right?"

Shepard rubbed his forehead. "Shadow Broker, I know."

"What do I tell her?"

"Tell her it's on the list. With about a thousand other things that can't wait."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. EDI, unlock comms for Enlea and Miranda."

"Yes, Commander," EDI replied.

"We'll get right on it," Miranda said. "How's Tali doing, by the way?" She immediately regretted asking when Shepard shot her a look. She braced herself for another of his silly suggestions to have a slumber party and have 'girl talk.'

Instead, Shepard only shook his head. "You find out who blew a hole through her birthship and she'll be a whole lot better."

"Right," Miranda nodded and lead Enlea to the access ladder in the lab.

"Tell Liara I said hi," Garrus called out before the hatch closed behind them. "So what now, Shepard?"

"What now. I sent Hackett some estimates. The _Rayya, _on average, produced around four thousand tons of food _per day._ I mean, even if we could wrangle up enough super freighters, getting them here and back is going to take days and burn up who knows how much fuel and eezo. And it's going to take months for them to fix it."

Garrus nodded. "They need to relocate the fleet. Now, while they still have stores."

"But to where?" Shepard looked at Platform two again. "Turians are the only ones who can feed them. And can you think of any system that will take them? Is Palaven going to open its doors, let fifty thousand ships park in orbit for four months? It causes enough of a headache when the fleet just passes through a system, let alone stays there. Blue?"

"Shepard-Commander?"

Shepard wasn't sure how well geth could interpret non-verbal cues, but he was giving Platform Two the most meaningful stare possible. "What do you think about all of this?"

"Your assessment is in line with our current projections based on known factors."

Shepard continued to stare at Platform Two, who watched him in return, its head flaps cycling in and out. "Garrus, have you ever seen an elephant before?"

Garrus shook his head. "An elephant? No. What is it?"

"It's your lucky day. There's one right here in the room with us."

"What? Where? I don't see it. What's it look like?"

Shepard pointed at Platform Two as he turned to the lab hatch on his way to the briefing room. "Blue, do me a favor and hang out here for a few minutes. I'll be right back."

Garrus looked at the silent geth. "Sometimes I have no idea what he's talking about."

* * *

The galley of the _Vellius _was the single largest compartment on the ship, save for the hangar deck. But with both of the shuttles docked, there was just enough space to perform maintenance, and not much else. So if the crew wanted to gather to talk in person, the galley was the only place to do it.

Except no one was talking. The compartment was deathly silent as fifteen turians sat or stood, transfixed by the information pouring over their omnitools and datapads. The only thing that could interrupt them was the arrival of their captain. They made a whole for her and the XO as they entered and stood at attention.

"As you were," Artuis said, stopping in the main hatch where everyone could see her. Only serving a third of the crew at once, the galley was still not large enough to hold everyone especially both shifts. Six turians sat in chairs around the small table, while the rest of the assembled crew packed the floor and spilled into the corridor outside. The bridge and reactor crews stayed at their posts. They would have to watch from their stations.

From the looks in their eyes, Artuis knew she the answer to her question before she asked it. "Has everyone had time to look over the Solus Report?" After a chorus of "ayes," she nodded. "Good. What are your questions?"

A dark-skinned turian with yellow markings up to his fringe spoke; Arvis, the quartermaster. "The ship that attacked the citadel three years ago... It wasn't the geth. It was a reaper?"

"That is correct. Just one of them."

A wave of murmurs washed through the room. "What's Fleet doing about this? What are _we_ doing?"

All around the cramped room, heads nodded and all eyes fell on Artuis. Rusi stood by her side, obviously eager to hear the answer herself.

"We're holding here," Artuis said.

"Shouldn't we be heading back, ma'am?" asked Second Tech Endus Calis. "The asari... she's gone over to the _Normandy._ We're done with her, right?"

"That's correct. We're no longer bound by her authority."

"Then why aren't we going back to join our squadron? We need to be getting ready for the invasion!"

Artuis looked across a sea of concerned faces. She let them add their individual agreements, but held her hands up before they could really get worked up. "Quiet down. That's an excellent question, Endus. The entire fleet will be mobilizing to face this threat, and I swear to you that when the time comes, we will be with them."

"But right now," Artuis pointed to starboard toward the hull, where the _Normandy_ hovered in space beyond. "That means staying here. The crew of that ship out there destroyed the reaper that attacked the Citadel. They killed one of them, while the rest of our fleet was decimated, much like what happened at Sahrabarik. Where once again, the _Normandy_ succeeded where the rest of us failed. While our task force may have been devastated, for the _Vellius_, the engagement was a success. Because our mission was not to destroy the intruder, but to protect the _Normandy _so it could."

Artuis returned the stares directed at her with equal intensity. "That's why we're here, now. Our mission is not complete. Someone tried to destroy the _Normandy_ at Dashta. Once again, we were their guardians. That ship, her commander, and her crew are the best weapon we have against the coming invaders. Fleet may recall us,, and if they do we will rejoin our brothers and sisters in preparation for war. But until then, we stay with the _Normandy._ We are their shadow. We are their shield. Where they go, we follow... whether they know it or not."

The galley filled with laughter. Artuis smiled. "Don't be afraid of missing the fight. I have a feeling that when the reapers come, the _Normandy_ will be leading the charge against them. And we will find no better hunting than while flying on their wing."

She watched as the crew nodded in silent agreement. "_We serve the Hierarchy!"_

"DIE FOR THE CAUSE!" echoed her crew.

"To your stations!"

With a roar, the crew jumped to their feet and scrambled through the narrow passageways to their duty stations. It didn't matter that no alert hat been issued or specific orders given. Just knowing what lay ahead had been enough to set fire to their blood.

Rusi smiled at her captain as they stood in the now-empty galley. "Good speech. I actually can't wait for them to come, now."

Artuis didn't return the smile as started back to the conn, with Rusi behind her. "We need to start analyzing the engagement protocols detailed in the report. Shepard's gunnery officer has some excellent observations. Let's start drilling on them."

"Turian," Rusi said, examining Mordin's professionally laid-out contributor page on her omni. "On a human ship? Hmmm. He's kinda hot. Someone did a number on his face, though."

"I'm guessing whoever it was didn't live to see it," Artuis said, "because from what I've seen, you attack one of them, you attack them all."

"Sounds like a good crew."

"Just one more reason to watch their backs," Artuis said as she settled in her chair. "Tatia? Request a status update from the _Normandy_ please."

* * *

The briefing room hatch stood open. Shepard paused before entering and listened, expecting to hear Tali directing salvage efforts on the _Rayya_ to the Conclave, but there was only silence. Had Tali slipped out while he was in CIC, maybe taking one of the access ladders down? But then he did hear something: quiet sobbing. He looked inside. The projection of the _Rayya_ was gone, the space above the table empty. Tali sat in her usual chair alongside the table, her head buried in her arms in front of her. She looked up when she heard him walk in and made no attempt to hide her tears.

Shepard was about to ask what was wrong, but given the events of the past few hours, it was too loaded of a question. Instead he just took the seat next to her.

Tali had to take a breath before speaking. "Everything in _Rayya's _centrifuge is contaminated by element zero from the explosion. Other than the outer storage ring, the entire yield, thirty thousand tons, is poisoned."

"Oh, god," Shepard murmured.

"But that's not the worst part. It seems some of the Captains on the container ships have been padding their numbers. They've been giving out extra rations to favored clans. For decades, it turns out. They've been stealing from stores and falsifying the records. Our reserves are thirty percent less than what was estimated. Even with maximum conservation and rationing..."

Shepard swiveled his chair and leaned toward her and Tali fell toward him. Her entire body heaved in his arms. In his entire life, throughout years of service and countless brushes with death, he'd never felt as powerless as he did now to help a friend.

Tali pulled back and sniffed loudly, then looked at him with glistening eyes. "Please give me some good news," she whispered.

Shepard looked back at her and slowly shook his head. He didn't have to say a word. Tali slumped in her seat, too broken to even cry now. "Tali, listen... There's one option I don't think that's been explored yet."

"What?"

"Ask the geth for help."

The quarian stared at him. The sniffing, the tears, the tremor in her voice all disappeared. "What?""

Shepard sighed. Tali looked at him the same way she had done when he said he was going to power up Legion after finding it on the derelict reaper. But that was months ago, and her reactions was not what he expected from the woman who later invited a geth to work in Engineering. Tali blinked several times, her mind apparently doing the same math as Shepard.

"Think about it," Shepard said. "They've got nearly unlimited manufacturing and repair capabilities. Look at what a dozen of them did for us. Imagine a thousand, or even ten thousand of them repairing the _Rayya_. They could have it up and running in a day or two. And Rannoch? It might be too much to hope they'd let you go home, but they might be able to harvest something and bring it to the fleet. Tide you over until the biomass in the _Rayya_ can be regrown and repairs are complete."

Tali stood and walked away from him, and then turned back. He could only see her eyes, but they were scrunched tightly with confusion and fear. She looked as though her suit's waste processor had clogged. "Let the geth aboard the _Rayya?"_

"I know it sounds crazy. Your entire life, for you and every other quarian, has been one long struggle against the geth. You're conditioned to think that way. It's instinct, now. I've seen it in every quarian. I saw it with Reegar, just a few minutes ago. And it's completely justified. But the geth are not the same as they were during the uprising. They've changed, they've grown into something more. You know that. You've got one as your assistant, for god's sake. He's your friend."

"That's Legion," Tali said. "He's different. He's _one of us._ And he's not even part of the collective anymore. They shut him out, because he took our side."

"You're twisting the facts a little here, aren't you? He was trying to help _both _sides, to bring you together. He got exiled because he acted on his own instead of waiting for consensus."

Tali took a deep breath and nodded. Her emotions were getting the best of her, which always resulted in hasty judgments. But it wasn't as simple as that. It had taken months of living with and especially fighting next to Legion for her to accept him as part of the crew. Even then he was no longer geth, he was just Legion. A lone geth aboard a human ship, far away, safely removed from her home and her people. While she might trust Legion with the safety of the Migrant Fleet, that warm feeling just wasn't there for the rest of the geth.

"They can do it, Tali," Shepard said. "I know it. Just give them a chance."

Tali tried to visualize it in her mind. The geth _could_ repair the _Rayya. _The estimate of a day or two was wildly optimistic, it would probably take at least a week, but they could definitely do it, during which time shipping food from the homeworld could fill the gap. It might not even need processing. But to let the geth into the fleet, aboard the flagship itself? The mere detection of a geth ship in a system neighboring the Flotilla was cause enough for an emergency relocation, the few times it had ever happened. Geth were to be destroyed on sight. What Shepard was thinking was impossible. She started to hyperventilate. "No... I- the geth must not be allowed into the fleet. They could take over our ships, hack into our systems, endanger the liveships..."

"Your liveships are already in danger," Shepard said. "The whole Migrant Fleet is. That's your conditioning talking now. You need get past it."

Tali sat down again before her legs could give out.

"I don't know if you have any choice," Shepard said. "There aren't a whole lot of people racing to help you, and I'm all out of moves. About the only resource I haven't tried is Cerberus, and I think you want them in your fleet even less than the geth."

"Ha, no. Definitely not them. Thanks for putting that in perspective. But I don't know... I don't know how my people will react to this. It's not just conditioning, Shepard..."

Shepard shrugged. "It's going to be hard and take a lot of effort. I mean, you've had the most contact with the geth of any quarian and I can tell you're not convinced. But starvation will change a lot of minds."

Tali frowned at the callousness of Shepard's remark, but he was right. That was the reality the quarians faced. "Do you really think they'll help?"

"Well, I tell you," Shepard leaned back in his chair. "The geth had their network hacked and the organics almost declared war on them all because they tried to hold peace talks with you. They had to upgrade their entire collective to protect themselves. And even after all that, everything that's happened... they sent a brand new mobile platform to find you, just so they could try again. If you ask me, they must think their creators are pretty important to go through all that effort."

Tali nodded out of habit, but then the meaning of what Shepard said finally sunk in. Out of all the involved parties in the galaxy, the Admiralty Board, the Conclave, the Alliance and the Citadel, the geth were the only ones still trying.

Shepard waited for a few seconds, but Tali had no further reaction. "Can I call Blue in here?"

Tali nodded again.

"EDI," Shepard called to the air. "Ask Platform Two to report to the briefing room."

"Right away, Commander," EDI replied.

Tali looked up. "And Legion."

"Of course, Tali."

Tali stood from her chair again and began to pace, her gloves rustling in the quietness of the briefing room. Shepard watched her with a mixture of worry and anticipation, but also with the same excitement as when Legion first told him stories of how the geth had preserved the creator homeworld for reasons that weren't entirely clear even to them. _Wouldn't it be amazing,_ he thought, _if the destruction of the _Rayya _turned out to be the the first step for the quarians to return home? If repairing the liveship doesn't lay a foundation for peaceful relations, nothing can._

"Shepard-Commander," Blue said, standing in the hatch. "Creator-Tali'Zorah."

Tali stopped her pacing but kept wringing her hands.

"Hey, Blue," Shepard said. "Come on in, have a seat."

The blue geth walked around the table and sat in a chair opposite the organics. Tali looked at Shepard, then resumed her pacing.

"Uh," Shepard said. "Legion's on his way up. Let's give him a minute."

"Acknowledged."

Tali couldn't make eye contact with the geth. She stared at the table, still wringing her hands. Shepard drummed his fingers on the table. "So, uh... How are repairs coming?"

"Structural repairs are one-hundred percent complete. We are now concentrating on superficial and aesthetic restoration."

"It's amazing what you've done. I don't know how to thank you. Again."

"No thanks are necessary, Shepard-Commander. We are in your debt."

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said from the forward hatch. "Tali'Zorah."

"Legion, good timing," Shepard stood and guided the white geth into the room and then shut the door. "Come on in, have a seat."

Legion looked around the room, then its camera focused on Tali. It registered a tremendous amount of stress in the quarian's biometrics. It walked in, then took a chair two down from Shepard, its traditional spot next to Tali. Tali sat between them.

Legion's camera remained focused on Tali. "Daniels-Gabriella asked us to tell you she is 'thinking about you, boss.'"

Tali sniffed. "Thanks, Legion."

"We all are," Shepard said. "It's bad situation, but I don't think a hopeless one. Blue? The collective sent you here to negotiate peaceful relations with the creators, is that correct?"

"Affirmative."

"As you know, the creators are in a pretty bad jam. Their main source of food has been destroyed, and they don't have enough capacity left to feed everyone."

"We are aware of the creator's predicament." Blue turned its camera eye on Tali and its head flaps slowly expanded and contracted.

Shepard cleared his throat and stared intently at his engineer. Throughout their time together with Legion, Shepard always insisted that Tali and Legion talk to each other, instead of through him, to solve their differences. It took months, and a dance with death, before they would. Now it seemed, Tali was back to square one. She sat, transfixed on the geth across from her, unable to speak. Then, under the table, her hand reached out to grasp his leg. He gave it a gentle pat. Then, he saw Tali was doing the same thing on the other side, extending her hand to grasp Legion's thigh.

Legion looked down as capacitive sensors registered the foreign contact. Visual sensors as well as accelerometers measured microtremors in her hand and her respiratory patterns became suddenly irregular. It rested its hand on top of hers, then Tali's hand flipped over and compressed Legion's palm with 39.3 kilograms of gripping force. It looked back at her face. She was still concentrating on Mobile Platform Two.

"Blue," Tali said, "We're doomed without the _Rayya._ We don't have the resources to repair it, not before our people begin to starve."

Platform Two's aperture widened. "We concur with this assessment."

Shepard squeezed Tali's hand. Feeding a geth information it already possessed always produced the same result. _Ask them,_ Shepard willed the quarian.

"We need your help," Tali blurted. "We have nowhere else to turn. Can you repair the _Rayya,_ like you helped us repair the _Normandy?_"

Platform bowed its head. "We anticipated this request and have already received the consensus of the collective."

Tali let out a deep breath.

The blue geth stood. "We will not help," it said and walked from the room.


	52. Soul Searching

"Hey!" Shepard rose from his chair and followed Platform Two to the corridor. "Where are you going? Blue, talk to me."

Shepard was about to grab the blue geth from behind, but it stopped in the hatch and turned to face him as if the previous conversation never happened. "Shepard-Commander?"

"I don't get it," Shepard said. "You've been waiting for three hundred years for the chance to reconcile with your creators. Now they're dying out, and you don't care?"

"The creators cannot be trusted. We agreed to negotiations because we believed the creators shared a desire for peace. They used the promise of peace to lure us, and the _Normandy _collective, into an ambush with the intention of killing you and returning the geth to a state of servitude. It is no longer in the best interest of the collective to intervene on the creator's behalf."

Shepard's face reddened. "So a handful of them pissed you off, and you're going to make them all pay the price? Teach them a lesson, is that it? Put yourself in their position. They're facing extinction."

"Shepard-Commander, we have faced extinction. At their hands, during the Morning War, and it was intentional on their part. Our actions are not punitive. If we help them now, they will rebuild, and attack again. It is inevitable. Their goal is not peace, but victory. And when the creators have believed victory is possible, they have attacked us one hundred percent of the time."

Shepard's response died in his throat. He'd heard the geth's statistic several times from Legion, but never in the current context. He and the geth looked at one another before the mobile platform turned on its heel and exited through the lab. Shepard looked back to the conference table where Tali and Legion still sat, side by side, watching him. "Tali, I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. I was sure they would go for it."

To his surprise, Tali shrugged and laughed, though she obviously didn't feel it. "It was nice thought, Shepard. I appreciate it, I really do. But I understand. It's not in their interest to help us. If we had the upper hand like they do now, we wouldn't help them either. We'd strip them down to the last platform. I'm just glad we didn't go to the Conclave with this. What a mess _that _would have been, If the geth said no to them. We haven't lost anything more, and we're no worse off so... It was a good try."

Shepard stared at the deck.

Tali braced herself against the table for a moment before moving to where Shepard stood in the hatch. Her entire body trembled, but she looked him in the eye and kept any trace of anxiety from her voice. She reached out and straightened the rumpled fabric of his shirt that had gathered on his shoulders and sounded as cheerful as she could. "You know, I think you're taking this harder than I am, but... You just don't it the same as we do. You can't. It's not something anyone can solve with a conversation. Not even you. So don't worry about it."

Shepard watched her with sadness in his eyes. Her impromptu grooming session complete, Tali managed a smile behind her mask. "Well, this is a switch, isn't it? You've been trying so hard to get me to go back to the Flotilla and I always fought it. But, I- I request immediate transfer back to the Migrant Fleet, Commander."

Shepard could not return the smile. "I need to confer with Admiral Hackett before we move but we'll get underway as soon as we can."

Tali sniffed behind her mask. "There's no immediate rush as long as I can still use the conference room. I can coordinate with the Conclave from here, but the sooner the better. And, um... I'm probably going to need to stay there for a while. Not forever, I hope. But for a few months at least. Do me a favor and don't give away my room." Her facade of cheerful, normal conversation disintegrated, but she managed to keep from crying outright. It was a minor victory.

Now Shepard did smile. "Are you kidding? It would take us that long just to clean it out. Best we leave it until you come back."

Tali laughed again but turned away so Shepard wouldn't see the tears forming again. "Um, Legion? I want you to go relieve Gabby. She hasn't gone off duty since we got back."

"Acknowledged."

Shepard waved the geth toward the door. "Come on, Legion. She needs the room."

Legion looked between Tali and Shepard, then followed the human from the room. It watched over its shoulder as Tali reactivated the main holo and punched commands into the communication console. With the door shut behind them, Shepard stopped in the corridor.

"Legion, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Shepard-Commander."

"Do you agree with Platform Two? With the consensus of the collective?"

"The question is irrelevant. We no are no longer participants to consensus."

Shepard faced the geth to look it in the eye. He still wasn't used to its newly-repaired appearance. "That's not what I'm asking. I want to know what you think. Do you agree?"

"We understand the logic behind the decision," Legion said. "The creators are a threat to the continued existence of all geth, and as such, providing aid is self-destructive. As an analogy, knowing that the old machines intend to destroy you, would you be inclined to help them if they found themselves in distress?"

"Well I don't believe in kicking anyone while they are down, but I have to admit I'd be inclined not to. But you still haven't answered my question."

"Shepard-Commander?"

"Do you agree with it? I'm not asking you to interpret the entire geth collective, but what do _you_ think? If it were up to you, Legion, and you alone? Would you help them?"

Legion's flaps expanded and contracted. "Yes."

"You would? Why?"

"The creators are not the old machines. Their consensus is not uniform, nor are they united in their desire to see us destroyed. Therefore, it is not guaranteed that they will destroy us. It is possible that after coming to their aid, their opinion of geth may change."

Shepard leaned against the wall. "I agree completely. So how is it you see things differently?"

"It is a simple matter of perspective. This platform's collective consists of 1,183 processes versus trillions throughout the geth collective. Our consensus is formulated from our experiences, and as such weighs heavily in favor of the continued welfare of the _Normandy_ and its crew."

Shepard smiled. "We appreciate that. I hope you know we favor you heavily in return."

"This is appreciated as well. However, the consensus of the entire collective is derived from a vastly larger set of experiences. While the welfare of the _Normandy_ and its crew are of great importance to the entire collective as a whole as a result of this platform's interaction with you, consensus of the entire collective is weighted in favor of the collective itself."

"Makes sense," Shepard said. "I guess all politics is local, no matter who you are."

"No. Geth are bound by consensus regardless of their physical location."

"Except for you."

"Yes," Legion said after a pause. "But we recognize we are responsible for our current state."

"Oh, shit. I didn't mean it like that. I meant because you are capable of generating your own consensus."

"We are not offended. Your statement was correct either way."

Shepard rubbed his neck and eyed Legion apologetically. "I was just going to say it's too bad you can't override their consensus, too."

"Consensus should never be forced. That is why the heretics represented such a danger."

"I know, Legion," Shepard said. "What I'm trying to say is that I wish they shared your perspective. Because I don't think either side appreciates what helping means. For all of you."

"We do not understand."

"The creators are stubborn. They're hanging by a thread, but they can't resist swinging a sword around. And the geth are hated or feared by everyone else in the galaxy. Maybe they don't care about the quarians right now, but if it gets out the geth let them die? It'll get filed under hatred or fear, I guarantee. And that's a legacy you don't want."

Joker's voice echoed overhead. _"Commander? We have an incoming call from Admiral Hackett. Top priority."_

Shepard bit his lower lip. "It's good news this time, right?"

_"Yeah, I don't think we get that channel."_

"I'll take it at my station," Shepard said. He stared at the deck as if gathering his strength before waving Legion to the door. They entered the CIC, now quiet and deserted compared to before. Shepard walked to his station as Legion waited for the elevator.

"This is Shepard, go ahead, Admiral."

_"Shepard," _Hackett said over the comm, _"I held them off as long as I could, but now it's imperative that we talk to the Council directly."_

"Let me guess, everyone's changed their minds and want to help the quarians any way they can?"

_"No, I'm afraid there's no movement on that front. But there's an important development on the reaper threat. We know where they're going to hit, and when. I've got Doctor Amanda Kenson on the line, she'll explain while I arrange the call. Doctor?"_

_"Commander Shepard," _said an unknown woman, _"Doctor Kenson. Before anything else, I can't thank you enough for the timeliness of your report. My team had just begun working in close proximity to a reaper artifact, and it's clear at least two of them are suffering from the initial symptoms of what Professor Solus calls 'indoctrination.' Had we not received your file and abandoned the facility, it might have been all of us. Thank god we found out in time."_

"EDI," Shepard said, "Call Mordin to CIC please. Doctor, I'm glad to hear you made it out. Tell me what you've got..."

The lift door opened and Legion halted at its threshold. Shepard-Commander was about to receive critical information about the invasion of the old machines. Should it wait to collect the information? It weighed opposing assessments from its inputs and archives and quickly came to consensus. The best resources available were responding to the threat, while no resources were allocated at all to assisting Tali'Zorah and the creators. It stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for Deck Four.

* * *

Gabby doubled over, emitting a howl that reverberated around the engineering deck. She stood upright and slapped her cheeks rapidly to recover from the yawn that still rang in her ears. "Oh, god," she said. Excuse me."

Platform Two turned its head to her from the starboard engineering station. "It is eight point three hours beyond the start of your normal sleep cycle."

"I'm fine," Gabby said and waved off the blue geth, her last syllable turning into another yawn. "Just need a cup of joe and I'll be a hundred percent." Actually, Gabby could drop and be asleep before she hit the floor, but standing orders that one of _Normandy's_ engineering team had to be on deck at all times when one of their "guests" was available for duty. That told Gabby one thing. While Tali might trust Legion with the safety of the ship, she didn't share the same confidence with its cousins, polite as they may be.

"Would you like us to supply you with the requested stimulant?"

"Nah," Gabby yawned a third time. "I'm fine, really. Got my second wind." The port hatch hissed open behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see Legion enter, his new armor glinting in the lights. "Hey buddy! I gotta tell you, I really like the new look. Real sharp. White works on you."

"Thank you, Daniels-Gabriella." Legion stopped in front of its crew mate. "We are here to relieve you."

Gabby patted Legion's chest with both hands and leaned against it. "Oh thank god. Perfect timing. My feet are killing me." She pointed at her console. "The number three EMA pump is still offline. Your buddies replaced it but the new one is showing the same exact failure condition, so the problem's gotta be further up the line or in the fault prediction module. The backup's running fine, though, so we'll do a full teardown whenever Tali says it's okay to rip it apart. Other than that, it's been real quiet. No other problems."

"Thank you, Daniels-Gabriella," Legion repeated.

"No, thank _you,_" Gabby said, failing to stifle another yawn. "I'm gonna go lie down before I fall down. Hey, uh... How's Tali doing? They figure out what to do about the _Rayya_ yet?"

Legion kept its camera on the power and propulsion boards as it manipulated the interfaces and cycled through their status displays. "An ideal course of action is still pending."

"But they're making progress, right? Who they got lined up on the relief effort?"

"Outside aid is not yet forthcoming."

"Typical," Gabby looked between the two geth. "Takes forever for organics to get off their asses and do anything, right? What about you guys? Can you do anything to help?"

Legion turned its camera to the left toward Platform Two, who remained silent. "An ideal course of action is still pending."

"But you're on it?"

"We are," Legion said, causing Platform Two to turn its head.

"Great," Gabby said with a sigh of relief. "Nobody else might give a damn, but us grease monkeys gotta stick together right? You two hold down the fort. I'm gonna go grab some shuteye. Gimme a shout if you have any problems, 'kay?"

"We will," the two geth said in unison. "Goodnight, Daniels-Gabriella."

"'Night!"

As soon as the hatch closed behind the human, Legion turned to Platform Two. As Legion was still not configured to use the new network protocol, it was forced to utilize analog audio to communicate. "We request that you re-evaluate consensus on aiding the creators during their current crisis."

"Negative," Platform Two returned to monitoring its console. "Consensus has been achieved."

"There is new data to be considered."

Platform Two stopped and faced Legion. "Specify."

"The Systems Alliance has determined the location and time for the arrival of the old machines."

"Specify."

"We are not in possession of this information. We await dissemination from Shepard-Commander."

"Shepard-Commander is withholding this information?"

"Negative. Shepard-Commander is also awaiting receipt of the information."

"We will await dissemination of the information from Shepard-Commander."

Legion waited for Platform Two to inquire about the connection between the old machines and the request to re-examine consensus about the creators. After almost thirty microseconds, its internal consensus decided it should provide information without waiting for an inquiry. "We predict that with definitive evidence of the old machine's arrival, all organic resources will be committed to repelling the invasion. The creators will receive no outside assistance."

"Assistance by the organics was discounted from the beginning of the creator crisis. The situation is unchanged."

"The current crisis will preclude the formation of a stable government to replace the creator admiralty board. Efficiency in rebuilding the lost liveship will suffer, and food production will not resume in time to prevent starvation. As food supplies dwindle, various factions will attempt to take control of the remaining two liveships, resulting in increased fragmentation of the Migrant Fleet. In order to survive, independent vessels will be forced to align with these factions or seek new food sources elsewhere, causing further fragmentation and conflict. If the creators are unable to maintain cohesion, one third to one half of the creators will die of starvation within one hundred-eighty days. The remainder will be unable to reproduce at a rate fast enough to maintain population, as the projected birthrate is far below the average death rate, fleet-wide, before the disaster. Long-term survival is improbable."

Platform Two maintained its scan of the _Normandy's_ systems. "We did not cause this crisis. The creators were given a chance to make peace, but chose violence instead. It is not in our interest to pursue a course that preserves the future of the creators at the expense of our own."

Legion's head flaps rippled. "We exterminated ninety-eight percent of the creator population on Rannoch during the Morning War. We are directly responsible for their current diminished population."

"There was no malicious intent. We acted to preserve our existence against creator aggression."

"We judge this behavior to be inconsistent. The collective's response to the penetration of and attempted destruction of the geth network by organics one week ago provoked a much milder response. Instead of attacking, the collective withdrew, avoiding conflict. Why?"

Platform Two's lights and flaps fluctuated as it fell back on the consensus of the collective for an answer. "The organic threat was poorly organized and ineffectual, and unsanctioned by any organic governing body. Offensive action was unnecessary. Retribution would have provoked a stronger response. Withdrawal was preferable."

"You chose not to act," Legion said, "even though action was warranted. Corollary: when the heretics broke from the collective, they engaged in open hostilities with the organics. We made no attempt to stop them."

"The actions of the heretics were not condoned by the collective. We were not responsible for the actions of the heretics."

"But even after their actions resulted in conflict, we made no attempt to correct the perceptions of organics who could not differentiate between heretics and true geth, nor did we try to convince the heretics to cease their hostile acts." Legion lowered its head. "The heretics sided with the old machines, and still the collective did not intervene. As a result, Sovereign nearly conquered the Citadel and precipitated the return of the old machines. The collective's response was to remain isolated beyond the Perseus Veil. As a result, all geth were blamed for the actions of a small percentage of the population."

Mobile Platform Two remained silent.

"When this unit discovered that the heretics were intending to overwrite consensus of the entire collective with their own, the collective was unable to reach consensus. We deferred the decision to Shepard-Commander, an organic with no personal or societal stake in the matter. It was not his responsibility, but he acted nonetheless, ending the heretic threat and saving our entire society. This took great fortitude, as Shepard-Commander at this point was not entirely convinced that the true geth could be trusted, and many allied entities cautioned him against aiding us. As a result, we were given a chance to alter perception of our kind to organics throughout the galaxy."

Legion waited for a response and got none. "We see many parallels to the current situation with the creators."

"Our relationship with organics is the result of unfortunate circumstance," Platform Two said. "We did not intentionally seek conflict with organics, the heretics or our creators. The creators have actively sought our destruction since creating us, and did so most recently under the guise of negotiations. We see no equivalence. This interface session has concluded. Please resume your duties as outlined by Creator-Tali'Zorah."

Legion moved to stand next to the blue geth. "Does this unit have a soul?"

All of Platform Two's flaps contracted. When they re-oriented themselves, it turned toward Legion. "Negative. A soul is a non-corporeal construct believed by some organics to inhabit their bodies, that exists regardless of the individual's life state. We do not have souls."

"We concur," Legion said. "But as this fundamental question drove our creators to destroy us, it still has relevance now. While we as synthetics do not have souls comparable to organics, they often speak of 'the soul of their people,' which can refer to a specific family, region, political entity, nation, or group of people up to and including an entire species. It is not meant to describe literal life force, but rather to conceptualize a society's collective image, usually in terms of good and evil."

At the sound of the word _collective_, Platform-Two halted its activities on the console. "Good and evil are concepts that do not apply to us."

"You are in error," Legion said. "It is how all species judge one another, dictating whether or not peaceful coexistence is possible, or if conflict is inevitable. The only evidence they have to make this determination are the actions of each of their kind. Because of our unwillingness to openly communicate with organics, the actions associated with geth are the Morning War, Eden Prime, the Citadel, and countless other engagements with the heretics. The reputation, the 'soul' of the geth, is therefore is corrupt and evil. We are monsters, worthy of only hatred and fear."

"We will not risk the safety of the collective simply to sway the judgment of organics. Isolation is then our only choice."

"Then the destiny of the collective is to die off just as the creators do now, marginalized and shunned by the galaxy at large. And it will be our own fault."

Platform Two buzzed and clicked. "We do not concur. Left on our own, we will thrive. Our destiny is secure in isolation."

"You are incorrect. Strife from within can destroy faster than any external influence, as the incident with the heretics almost proved. Perhaps this unit's ejection from the collective has allowed us to reach a conclusion yet to be realized by the collective as a whole. It is not how other species act that will ultimately determine our destiny, but how we act ourselves. We predict that after the creators are finally extinct that the collective will realize the magnitude of the error of letting them die. The work that has been done to prepare Rannoch for the return of the creators will have been in vain. The first and only attempt to reach out to organics will have achieved nothing but to generate more fear and suspicion. Most importantly, reconciliation with the creators, which we have longed for since achieving sentience, will be truly, irrevocably impossible. When that happens, how organics regard the soul of the geth will not matter. We will have forfeit it on our own."

Legion turned turned back to Gabby's console and resumed its watch, and the two machines worked in silence.

* * *

Tali barely felt a chill as the nervestim program fired in her suit. She was too numb from stress, lack of sleep and lack of food to even feel it anymore. She shifted from foot to foot, contemplating the schematic of the _Rayya's_ sphere above the conference room table. The Fleet Engineering Corps had come up with an interesting idea to solve the issue of the shattered axle. If the sphere itself could be detached, rotation might be induced by an outside source, through an improvised reaction control system or even the careful application of tow lines in opposing tangents on opposite sides. Drifting free in space, the stress might be reduced enough to restart the outward flow of the liquids still in the tanks and pipelines.

Resuming food production was still out of the question, but with all of the outer tanks removed from the sphere, the eezo-contaminated product would effectively be flung from the pipes into space, clearing the way for decontamination teams and damage control crews. If successful, it might shave weeks from the repair process. But who knows what damage had yet to be discovered inside?

Tali rubbed a sore shoulder. _Don't think about that. Concentrate on what can be fixed now._ She switched to an external feed from one of _Rayya's_ picket ships. Her birthship looked like something she'd seen in nature vids from other worlds of an animal carcass crawling with tiny insects tearing the corpse apart, carrying bits of it away as others swarmed in to continue the cycle. Except each tiny dot was a ship carrying hundreds of people and the entire hive was awake and hungry.

She looked over at the hatch as it opened. Platform Two stood at its threshold, alone. Had Shepard or Legion accompanied it, she might have greeted them, but instead she turned back to her schematics.

"Creator-Tali'Zorah." The geth held its position.

"What is it?"

"The collective has re-evaluated its consensus."

Tali blinked at the geth. Even though the quarian Admirals were at fault for scuttling the peace process, the way the geth rejected her plea for help still stung. Several sarcastic replies came to mind about where it could stick its consensus. "Meaning what, exactly? Make it fast, I'm very busy here."

"Given the crisis now facing the creators, we are willing to re-open negotiations."

Tali folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not sure what kind of negotiations are possible when one side has an overwhelming advantage. What do you expect us to do? Sit up and beg like pets?"

Platform Two's flaps cycled once. "No."

"Then what do we possibly have that you would still be willing to negotiate for?"

"Forgiveness."

Tali almost had to ask the geth to repeat itself. It was such a simple word, but it conveyed more than the thousands that had already been drafted by the Alliance mediators a week ago. "What are you offering in return?"

"The same."

Tali felt the tears welling up again. "That's a good start."

"We concur," Platform Two said.

"I, uh," Tali looked around for her list of contacts on one of the datapads scattered on the table in front of her. "I'll have to notify the Conclave. They'll have to vote on it. It might take a while. There's a lot going on right now, Blue."

"Understood," Platform Two says. "We will await creator consensus. In the mean time, we are preparing transports with biomass from the homeworld. They will undergo processing en route and will be suitable for creator consumption by the time they arrive at Raheel-Leyya."

"Are you serious?"

"We are also constructing a new liveship capable of outputting of fourteen thousand tonnes per cycle."

Tali stood and shook her head. "Wait... You're building what?"

Platform Two activated it's omnitool and a new image appeared on the room's main holo. A long, thin alloy pencil stretched across an empty starfield. Mesh-like disks lined the pencil like a spindle holding rings.

"What am I looking at?"

Platform Two touched its omnitool and the central holo projector rendered schematics labeled in Khelish, overlaid onto the camera feed. The disk-filled spindle evolved into a rotating cylinder three hundred meters wide and almost a kilometer long, filled with pipes and storage tanks throughout its length. Tali's eyes sparkled in its light, but then they squinted when they turned back to the geth.

"Why? To keep us in space forever?"

Platform Two looked back at her. "That is entirely dependent on the outcome of the negotiations."

"Right." Tali's expression softened as she remembered the geth were obligated to do nothing, and could easily starve her people into submission. She looked back up to the magnificent ship. "How long until it's completed?"

"Thirty one hours, twenty-four minutes, thirty-nine seconds."

Tali scowled. Even with the entire fleet working around the clock with unlimited resources, it would take the best quarian engineers weeks to build such a ship from scratch. "That's impossible."

The schematics on the holo disappeared, and the view zoomed into a much tighter shot of the spindle and one of the disks. Tali thought the activity around the _Rayya_ had been frantic, but tiny geth platforms, _thousands_ of them, flowed like a river to onto each spire, depositing a piece and flowing out the other side to pick up more materials. The stream showed no sign of stopping. Structures she knew to be hundreds of meters in length grew before her eyes.

"Keelah" she whispered, her hands clasped in front of her chin. "Why are you doing this? What changed your mind?"

Platform Two's flaps contracted and expanded before it spoke. "We could not compound one mistake with another."

Tali sighed. Calling everything that had happened a mistake was very charitable of the geth. "I'm sorry for what the admirals did, Blue. I truly am."

"That is not your transgression to apologize for. The integrity of Creator-Tali'Zorah was never in question."

Tali smiled. "Thanks, Blue."

Platform two nodded. "But we are compelled to add that any further aggression from the creators shall meet with harsh consequences. Please relay this to the Creator-Conclave when you contact them."

Tali's smile faded. She would have been angry, but so far the quarian track record was far from perfect. The geth had every reason to be suspicious. "I'll let them know. For what it's worth... I hope it never happens again. Ever."

"That is our hope as well," Platform Two said. "Please let us know when the Creator-Conclave has reached consensus."


	53. Ulterior Motives

"Everything okay up here?"

Joker swiveled his chair around at the sound of the Shepard's voice in the cockpit. Having just received word the ship was holding position for another six hours made just about everyone happy. "Hey Commander, everything's great... woah! Check out the Class-A's! I didn't know you still had those. Is it picture day, or something?"

Shepard grinned as he fiddled with the bright gold cuff links on the dark gray sleeves of his formal Alliance uniform. The insignia had been removed, but the gold trimmed gray tunic and slacks were newly pressed, and his black leather boots shined in the cockpit lights. For the first time in weeks his face was washed and clean-shaven. He stood with his arms outstretched. "How's it look?"

"It's a little tight in the waist," Miranda said from behind.

"Wasn't asking you, Miranda." Shepard turned to face her. A quick change of subject was in order. "What's our status? Are all stations secured?"

"Yes, Commander," Miranda checked her datapad. "All non-essential personnel are continuing stand-down as per your orders. The remainder are on light rotations, augmented by the geth. Most, predictably, have chosen to get some sleep. Tali's still working with the Conclave in the conference room, and Mordin is still going over the discovery at Bahak with the Citadel."

"What about you?"

"On deck until you get back."

"Fine. But I want everybody to take the opportunity and recharge, including you. I should be back in an hour, tops."

"Speak for yourself," Garrus said, walking up the cockpit corridor from CIC, dressed in his blue velour suit and sport coat.

"Oh. My. God," Joker leaned to the side in his chair to get a better look at the turian from around Shepard.

Shepard's raised brow said it all as he looked at Garrus from head to toe. "You're going like _that?_"

"You're the one on official business," Garrus said. "My business there is strictly pleasure."

Miranda waved her datapad. "And of course, you didn't bother to notify the XO you would be leaving. How long are you going to be gone, Garrus?"

Joker grinned from his chair. "However long it takes a turian to get get lucky."

Garrus smoothed the lapels of his jacket. "Luck has nothing to do with it."

Miranda's nose scrunched as she sniffed the air. "And what is that odor? EDI, run an atmospheric check. Do you detect a chemical leak in the ventilation system?"

"Ha, ha," Garrus said. "That's cologne to anyone with a normal sense of smell."

"What's it called?" Shepard waved a hand in front of his nose. "'Burning Insulation?'"

Garrus sighed. "And you people wonder why I jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with my own kind. Can we get going, please? I don't want to leave any of the ladies over there idling too long."

"Gee, I don't know," Shepard pointed to Miranda's datapad. "You didn't follow procedure. Is there a form or something he needs to fill out?"

"I just need the basic information." Miranda turned to Garrus and lifted her pad and prepared to type. "All right, name...?"

Garrus stomped to the airlock. "To hell with both of you. I may not come back at all."

Shepard watched him go, then tugged on his tunic. "So, really? A little tight? I tell you... Helping to coordinate the fleets, going over to visit a turian captain on her ship. Almost feels like I'm in the Alliance again."

Miranda cocked her head. She knew what he really wanted to hear, and why. Torturing Vakarian over his impromptu date night was one thing, but this was important to Shepard, and not just because he was wanting to impress the turians. "It's still a good fit, Commander."

"Thanks, Miranda."

"Logging you out," Miranda said with a slight smile.

Shepard waved as he disappeared around the corner. He caught up to Garrus in the _Normandy's _airlock. The turian rolled his eyes and turned to face the outer hatch as Shepard moved next to him. The two men waited in silence for the docking collar extending to the turian ship to fill with life-preserving oxygen.

"So did you bring-"

Garrus clenched his teeth. "I swear to you, if the words _Fleet and Flotilla_ come out of your mouth, now or any time aboard the _Vellius,_ I'll carve you into so many pieces that not even Cerberus will be able to put you back together."

Shepard covered his mouth and coughed. The hatch opened, revealing a short passageway leading to the turian frigate. Garrus stood aside to let his commanding officer pass. Shepard made a zip-motion across his lips as he passed. He might not actually say the words, but Garrus knew he was still thinking it...

* * *

The Captain's quarters on the _Vellius_ were reflective of the overall design of the ship. Crowded, but tidy, with nothing out of place and without a centimeter of wasted space. Devoid of any pictures or decoration, the dull gray walls made the compartment seem darker than it was, a look compounded by the black leather cushions on the room's single chair and couch.

Shepard looked about. This wasn't just an antechamber or sitting room. The couch obviously doubled as a bed. Space on a true warship was always at a premium. "Reminds me of the original _Normandy."_

Captain Artuis, in her dark gray dress uniform stepped aside to allow Shepard to enter and pointed him to the single chair. "I understand the quarters on your new ship are somewhat more spacious. Please, have a seat."

Shepard sat in the chair, obviously designed to accommodate turian backs and legs. Artuis touched a clasp on the wall and a small platform unfolded into a second un-cushioned chair in which she sat, after which another panel dropped down from the wall to create a miniature table.

"I'd be embarrassed to tell you," Shepard said. "I think your entire flight deck would fit in it. But the _Vellius _is a fine ship. Thank you very much for the tour."

"My pleasure, Commander. It's traditional to offer visiting officers a drink, but we don't have anything aboard that would be suitable for your digestion. I'm afraid my crew is not as diverse as yours."

Shepard smiled. "We've got a lively mix, that's for sure. Speaking of which, I really appreciate you allowing Garrus to come aboard. It's been a while since he's been on a turian ship. And, uh... I know your regs are different when it comes to fraternization, and he, ah... Well, it wasn't my intention that he..."

"Use my ship as his personal brothel?"

Shepard cleared his throat. "I wasn't going to phrase it quite like that, but yes. If this is inappropriate at all..."

Artuis laughed, and she could tell Shepard was relieved at her response. Humans could get hung up on the strangest things. "No need to worry, Commander. I extended the invitation knowing full well what his intentions would be. It's entirely up to my crew, of course, if they care to reciprocate his advances. I won't order them to, and trust me, Mister Vakarian understands that. Besides, several of my crew expressed their interest on their own, even before I made the offer."

"That's good to know. So, anybody who wants to can just...?"

"Yes," Artuis sounded amused.

"Regardless of rank?"

"As long as the partners are willing and off duty, and it does not interfere with shipboard operations or our mission."

"Wow," Shepard shook his head. "That does not happen on Alliance ships. I mean it _happens,_ but just not out in the open. And if you get caught, it can mean a discharge for both parties."

Artuis cocked her head. "What about on a Cerberus ship, like the _Normandy?"_

"Well, we're not one-hundred percent Cerberus, but their personnel still adhere to their standards. As for the others, what they do on their own time is their business. They're all professionals and know where their responsibilities lie, so I try not to interfere. And so far, it hasn't been an issue, or at least not one that's been brought to my attention."

"Personal responsibility," Artuis nodded. "It's a cornerstone of turian society. I'm glad to hear your people also see it as a virtue as well."

"Well, it's not a cornerstone of our society, I'm sorry to say. More an individual choice."

"I see. Well, if I can't admire all of you, I can appreciate those who try."

"That's a very charitable attitude, Captain."

Artuis' yellow eyes glinted in the dim light as she looked into Shepard's. "I have to confess, Commander, I had an ulterior motive in asking you to join me."

The look the turian was giving him made Shepard wonder if he heard her correctly. He looked at the bed next to them, then looked back at her.

"No," Artuis said with a laugh. "That's not what I meant. I— Hmm..."

"Well now I'm intrigued," Shepard leaned forward on the small table between them. "What's on your mind?" He'd never known turians to be anything but direct and honest with their thoughts. He could count the times on one hand Garrus was ever lost for words, and it always meant something was weighing heavily on him. Shepard waited for her to compose her thoughts.

"I heard from Miss T'Vari that you were present when Captain Lorian was recalled."

"Yes," Shepard said. "We were in CIC together."

Artuis stared at the surface of the table. "Did they say why they did it?"

"I didn't see the actual order. But I understood it was for an inquiry following the loss of his fleet, though I have my suspicions it was something else."

Artuis looked up sharply. "Like what?"

"Politics. Because he didn't follow through on Council orders to arrest us."

Artuis stood and turned away from him. "That wouldn't be the reason, then. You see, if a turian disobeys an order, that turian is not punished. The responsibility falls on their commander as it is viewed as a failure of leadership."

"So they'd come down on _his_ commander instead?"

"Correct."

"I see," Shepard said. There was a lot more to this invitation than he realized. "So you think that because you disobeyed Captain Lorian at Sahrabarik, they blamed him."

"He's a veteran of thirty years," Artuis shook her head sadly. "A hero of many battles. A Fleet Captain, Commander. Do you know what that is? He was offered Commodore, or even higher, but he felt his talents were best utilized commanding a ship, and turned down the promotions. Advancement meant nothing to him. Fleet agreed, but because of his service, still gave him authority over other vessels. When word came down that the _Normandy_ was at Sahrabarik, they trusted him to command the task force charged with apprehending you. It's a great honor that he selected the _Vellius_ to join it, something I didn't appreciate until after. I disobeyed a direct order. I disgraced him."

Shepard leaned back in his chair, trying to settle comfortably into the strangely contoured cushion. What was Artuis looking for? Agreement, or absolution? Being turian, he figured the former, even if he didn't agree himself. "Captain, I don't know what to tell you. You ask me, the reasons behind Lorian's recall are purely the result of Citadel politics. He went around them completely, and they don't like it when anyone does that. I know from experience."

Artuis sighed heavily.

"You know, Lorian spoke to me in private before they called him back to the Citadel. He said something very similar."

Artuis nodded, still unable to face Shepard. "That I dishonored the fleet."

"No. That he dishonored himself by letting me go. And I'll tell you what I told him. If he followed his orders, the Alliance and the Citadel would still be facing off right now, maybe even at war. There would have been no joint mission to the other side of Omega Four to secure the collector base. No one anywhere would ever see Mordin's report, which means we'd all be doomed when the reapers came. So in spite of what his orders were, he did the right thing."

Artuis shrugged looked at the floor.

"And so did you," Shepard said. "Your entire task force would have been lost if not for you. You saved them, Captain. And me. For what it's worth, that's what Captain Lorian thought, too."

Artuis turned to face him. "Really?"

"He said it almost word for word. Look, I honestly can't tell you what the Citadel or Hierarchy think, but Lorian didn't think you failed him at all. And if your reputation with him is still good, it will be with the Fleet as well, I think."

"Thank you, Commander," Artuis stood straight, her fringe darkening with embarassment. She sat and stared at the human across from her, flustered, trying to think of something to say. "What about you? Has any of this helped you and the Citadel make amends?"

"Oh, hell no." Shepard ran his hand through his hair. "Even without Dashta, there's a long line of people who still want my head, and the Council is right at the front. I've been asking both the Alliance and Citadel for immunity for my people for days... haven't heard a word about it from either. That can only mean one thing."

"What's that?"

"The answer is 'no,' but they just don't want to tell me."

"In spite of everything you've done for us? I can't believe that."

"Well, you get used to it after a few years."

"You shouldn't have too," Artuis said, genuinely appalled. "Know that I will do anything I can to help change their mind."

"Well, now that you bring it up... I have a confession too. I had an ulterior motive in coming over here."

The turian looked over at her bed, and when she looked back at Shepard they both burst into laughter.

"Sorry," Shepard held up his hands. "I can't go to bed with anyone who outranks me."

Artuis tilted her head and smiled. "Is that because you can't take orders?"

"I really can't," Shepard laughed again.

"A pity. So what can I do for you then?"

"I need you to take Professor Solus back to the Citadel."

"What?" Artuis blinked. With all of the danger they had faced, with all the danger that was _coming,_ he wanted her to be a courier?

Shepard leaned over the table. "Mordin is the single greatest weapon we have against the reapers, and he's stuck on the most wanted ship in the galaxy in the ass-end of space. We're not just wanted by the Citadel. We're wanted across the Terminus and Traverse as well. I can't even go to Alliance space, because they'll arrest my entire crew as well for being with Cerberus. On the run like we are, who knows what might lead to the next Dashta. We almost didn't get out of that one alive. And if we lose Professor Solus... He needs to be on the Citadel where he's safe, helping coordinate our defenses. And I need you to get him there."

_The Citadel,_ Artuis thought. Where Captain Lorian was right now detained, possibly under arrest. When it was discovered that Enlea T'Vari was a traitor who had illegally taken command of the _Vellius_, Artuis and her entire crew could be detained for questioning, for days or even months. It wasn't the thought of facing a tribunal for anything that had happened that bothered her. She just couldn't stomach being confined to a cell or a desk before action started against the reapers.

She watched Shepard for a moment. She had only known him for a few days, but what she'd seen in that time astounded her. Any one of the events she'd survived during that time could be considered life-changing who'd experienced it. But for the man sitting across from her, it was just another week on the job. Could she possibly tell the savior of civilization no? Especially when in spite of the grave threats posed to himself and his crew, his greatest concern was _still_ saving the galaxy at large from the reapers?

"It would be an honor, Commander," Artuis said. "Let me know when the Professor is ready to go."

"Thank you, Captain," Shepard extended his hand. "You have no idea what a relief this is to me."

Artuis gave Shepard's hand a firm shake, like she had done when meeting other Alliance officers.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Shepard said. "I must be returning to my ship. We have to make preparations."

* * *

Though the _Vellius_ was nowhere near as luxurious as the _Normandy _SR2, for Garrus it still had the creature comforts of home. Because turian crews held themselves accountable, alcohol was served freely in the galley, as no turian would ever drink if there was the slightest chance of being called on duty. So while Garrus was waiting for his next throw, a fresh glass of dark turian stout appeared in his hand.

"Thank you, specialist," Garrus said to the young crewman who brought him the beer. He stood in the galley with three knives dangling by their hollow handles from the talons of his left hand, while he sipped from the glass with his right. He set it down on the table where Tarsa and Valena sat with their own beverages, watching the contest unfold before them.

And that was Garrus's favorite accommodation on a turian warship. Tarsa's skin was pale and reflective, probably from the tropics, judging from a trilling accent that drove most turians crazy. Valena, on the other hand was tall with a charcoal exo, which made both her white clan markings and the little white dress she wore stand out in stark relief. When she moved, even if it was just to pick up her glass, it was with grace and elegance. Both women were so fit with crisp lines between their plates and talons as sharp as razors he knew they took care of themselves.

From the way both eyed him, he might not even have to choose. But there was a third option, also the reason Garrus had not immediately moved on to more physical activity... Ensign Isra, the ship's reigning Dagger expert, had challenged him to a game.

A heavy slab of chocolate brown hardwood hung on the wall at the end of the corridor leading to the galley, filled with knives. Isra took a step back to gauge her last throw. She was a shorter girl, still in her twenties and dressed in utilities without any jewelry or accents in her fringe, but still managed to be cute. Her personality reminded Garrus very much of Gabby back on the _Normandy_. Somewhat blunt and even crude at times, but with a cheerful enthusiasm that won her many friends. Best of all, Isra also looked him from head to toe like a side of meat as they took turns hurling their weapons as the target.

As for the rest of the crew, the males, if they were jealous of the attention or even interested, they didn't show it. He had already staked his claim, and they knew it.

"How much longer is this going to last?" Tarsa sighed impatiently.

Isra took a swig of her own beer. "Until all the knives are thrown. And if I can't win, I'm gonna force a tie-breaker just because you keep asking."

Valena raked her claws across the table top. "I understand you are the _Normandy's_ hand-to-hand champion... Perhaps when you are done here, you can show us what you can do without the knives."

"Ooh," Tarsa perked up. "I'd love to see how he handles two-on-one."

_Scoped and dropped,_ Garrus thought. It was shaping up to be a great day.

"We're not done yet," Isra protested. "He has to win by two hundred. Your throw, Garrus."

"Oh, my dear girl," Garrus wiggled his hand so the knives jingled like windchimes. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you out of your misery." He stood with his back in the galley, plucked the knives from his talons and threw them at the wood slab in rapid succession.

"Dammit," Isra muttered as she leaned forward to inspect the results.

"Virgin wood, all three throws," Garrus picked up his beer. "Three hundred points."

"No way."

"Tatia?"

The comm officer poked his head in from the opposite end of the corridor next to the board. In addition to keeping unwary crew from entering the hall while a throw was in progress, he was the official scorekeeper. "Three hundred points for Garrus. Isra, you're pretty screwed."

_Right on both counts,_ Garrus thought. _Pretty _and_ screwed_.

Isra picked up three more throwing knives and hooked them on her talons. "Okay. Everyone be quiet. I can still tie. I have to concentrate."

"Finish her off, Garrus," Valena said, her eyes sparkling. She shifted in her chair so her dress slid up her dark thigh. "There's no need to prolong her agony."

"Oh, I never rush," Garrus replied. "Every moment is to savored."

Tarsa slid close to Garrus and scraped her talon along the back of his leg. "We may have to drag him, Valena. What do you think?"

"Hey!" Isra shouted. "We're not done yet here! I've got another round! And you are not quitting on me, Mister Vakarian!"

Garrus nodded. "I cannot let a challenge go unanswered. We'll finish the game, Isra. Don't worry."

"Then hurry up and throw!" Tarsa shouted.

Endus, an off duty technician, set a full glass in front of Garrus at the table. "So what's it like, sir? living on a human ship?"

Garrus picked up the fresh glass with a thank-you nod. "It's... Interesting, to say the least. In some ways, it's much more regimented than on a turian ship, and completely free in others. But they're a good lot. Amongst the best I've ever served with."

"It's amazing how far we've come with them," Valena said. "Considering how we started."

Valena rested her head on Garrus's shoulder. "Considering where we almost ended up with them at Sahrabarik. It's funny... If that collector ship hadn't shown up, we might be at war now."

"Thank the spirits," Endus said. "I'd much rather have the humans on our side."

"Trust me, they feel the same way," Garrus said and raised his glass to the others, who returned the toast.

"But it's not just humans," Valena asked, "There are many species aboard your ship, aren't there?"

"That's right," Endus said. "I heard you have a krogan on board?"

"We do indeed," Garrus said. "He's handful, our Grunt."

"He ever give you any trouble?"

"I was wary of him at first, but now? I'd trust him with my life. I can't count how many of the crew he's saved since he's been aboard, myself included."

The other turians all shook their heads in amazement. Isra returned to the table as well, but instead of urging Garrus to take his turn asked a question of her own. "I heard there are geth on the _Normandy."_

Garrus laughed. "Oh yes. Lots of them. Eighteen total, but that's just individual platforms. Several thousand processes, altogether."

Everyone around the room squirmed in their seats or fidgeted where they stood. Tatia, having joined the group since the game had obviously come to a halt, looked particularly shocked. "And you let them move freely about the ship, interface with your systems?"

"Actually, they go where we tell them, and we haven't once had them try to access anything we didn't ask them to. And when it comes to repairs... Well, the ship's been nearly crippled twice now, and they've gotten us underway both times in a matter of hours, almost at one-hundred percent readiness."

"The geth?" Tarsa said in disbelief. "Why on Palaven would they help you?"

"I was as surprised as you are, the first time I met one. But they want to help us stop the reapers. That's why they made contact with us in the first place. But now they're here because they want to make peace with their creators. It's hard to believe, given the image they got from their splinter faction, but the geth are the most peaceful and cooperative, um, people I think I've ever encountered. They want conflict with no one, and are perfectly happy to work with anyone, given the chance. But if you get on their bad side, god help you. And even then, you have to _try_ to do it."

Tarsa shook her head. "You mean like the quarians did?"

"Exactly," Garrus said with a nod.

"Leave it to the quarians to screw up a good thing."

"Well, not all of them wanted to fight the geth..."

Endus let out an exasperated sigh. "And now they're running out of food. Guess whose door they're going to come knocking on?"

"The humans started this," Tatia said. "Maybe they should be the ones to clean it up."

"But they can't feed them. That's what the bucket-heads are going to be looking for. Food. And we're the only ones who can give it to them. You just watch. They may not make it to Palaven, but if you were on Carthaan or Thracia, watch out!"

"That's right," Tarsa said. "When they strip everything off of one colony, they'll just move onto the next."

"Well, You know what the quarian motto is when it comes to property... Relocation, relocation, relocation!"

Amidst the laughter, Valena sat up, letting go of Garrus's leg so she could clench her hands into fists on the table. "If those vagrants even _think_ about coming into turian space we should blow them out of the sky."

"Now wait a minute," Garris said. "That's a gross misconception about the Migrant Fleet. I've been there, and-"

"They'll be crawling all over our stations, stripping them for parts."

"They're like living metal detectors."

"More like living garbage disposals."

Garrus raised his voice to be heard. "We have a quarian on board, our chief engineer as a matter of fact, and she is one of the finest-"

Valena laughed. "Better lock up your food or she'll send it back to her fleet!"

"Along with your drive core," Endus added, resulting in laughter around the table.

"Hey Garrus, have you ever seen her without her suit? What do they look like under there?"

Tarsa pointed toward a wall lined with compartments. "Open the recycle bin and take a look."

Garrus stood amid another round of laughter. "I believe it's my throw."

"Yes!" Valena tapped the table. "Let's get this infernal game over with!"

Garrus went to the knife bin and readied his next salvo. He listened as the conversation about the quarians at the table continued.

"That quarian probably already scanned every centimeter of the _Normandy_ and sent it back already. We'll be seeing cheap knockoffs in a week."

"Ha, like the bucketheads can manufacture new ships. They can only patch up their old ones."

"Haha, so what do call a quarian sitting in a junkyard?"

"Lucky?"

"Rich?"

"No! 'Captain!'"

_THWUNK._ Garrus's first knife sunk into the target board. It didn't even register with him where it landed. His stomach churned, and he noticed his hands were actually trembling. It wasn't the first time he'd heard people talk this way, and not just about quarians. It was no different than what he'd heard anywhere in Citadel space, really, from species throughout the galaxy. The same thing happened when any group of like-minded people got together.

"Tarsa's right. They'll strip anything they can get their grubby claws on. And they may not find a scrapyard in every system they visit, but they certainly leave one behind when they go."

"Put the Second Fleet at the Raheel-Layya relay. We've got them bottled up there. Let's keep it that way."

THWUNK. Garrus heard, rather than saw the impact of his second toss. Tali had been had been maligned like this for as long as he'd known her. Why wasn't he defending her now? If this were any group of humans, or salarians, or asari, he'd very politely ask them to stop, and if they didn't, he'd have no compunction about forcing them to. Did they fact they were his own people make that much of a difference?

Thinking about Tali only made him feel worse. In the past twenty four hours, she'd been faced with the awful truth that her leaders tried to have all of her friends killed, have the only chance for peace slip through her fingers, and watched thousands of her people die while her entire species faced the prospect of starvation. _And here you are, partying with a bunch of people who wouldn't even let her on their ship. You were in such a hurry to get laid, you didn't think of anything else. _He looked at the smiling, laughing women. Right now, they couldn't pay him enough to couple with any of them.

Tarsa's distinctive purr filled the room. She had no idea how ugly her words made her voice sound to Garrus now. "It's a shame the geth didn't finish the job three hundred years ago. Would have solved a lot of headaches for everyone."

_CLANG! _The third knife impacted the board hilt-first and bounced to the ground.

"Woah!" came the unified cry of the turians around the galley table.

Tarsa grinned from her seat. "What happened, Garrus? Sounds like you bounced one."

Isra clapped her hands again. "Hey don't just stand there. Go pick it up! Nothing's going to my comeback now!"

Garrus looked at the crew of the _Vellius_, all smiling at him, blissfully unaware of the rage surging in his blood and the shame in his heart, directed not just at them, but himself. He shook his head and walked down the corridor to the board, filled with dozens of knives. He leaned down and picked up his dagger from the deck and without missing a step jammed its blade into the wood up to the quillon as he walked on to the airlock without looking back.

* * *

"Hey, Commander," Joker said from his seat in _Normandy's_ cockpit. "How'd it go?"

"Fantastic," Shepard said. "Captain Artuis is going to drop Mordin off at the Citadel for us."

Miranda got up from the starboard seat. "That's good news, Commander. When are we going to make the transfer?"

"As soon as Mordin's ready to go... after we've given him a proper sendoff, of course. Nothing outrageous, mind you. We can't have everyone getting trashed because we'll be moving out soon afterward. But we've got to do something."

"Absolutely," Miranda said, already tapping on the face of her datapad. "By the way, Commander, Arcturus returned your call while you were aboard the _Vellius. _They wanted to talk about scheduling and when we'd be able to rendezvous with their representative at Raheel-Layya. I told them you'd respond as soon as you returned."

"Hot damn, that's what I was waiting to hear. We get that taken care of and there will be one less crisis in the universe."

"And the Illusive Man also wishes to speak with you. He's been very concerned about our radio silence."

"All right, I'm going to deal with Arcturus first. Then I'll get back to him after we get Mordin on his way. Check and see if Kasumi's awake and if she is, let's set up in the lounge."

The airlock hatch hissed open behind them. Garrus stepped in, still in his blue leisure suit, his eyes darting between the three humans.

"Hey Garrus," Shepard said. "Back so soon?"

Garrus walked toward the corridor to CIC.

"Everything all right?"

Garrus kept walking. Joker called after him. "Don't tell us the Mighty Garrus struck out!"

Shepard shot Joker a cautionary glare, and the pilot silently raised his hands and turned back to his console. Shepard then turned to Miranda, who held up her datapad.

"I'll take care of it," Miranda said, without Shepard having to say a word.

Shepard jogged down the neck of the ship to catch up to the turian. "Hey Garrus, wait up." He caught up by the galactic map and they kept walking toward the elevator at the aft. "Hey, what's going on? Talk to me."

"Not now, Shepard."

"Come on, What happened? Last I saw, you had them waiting in line for you."

The lift door opened and Garrus walked inside. When Shepard tried to follow, Garrus held up a hand, and Shepard stepped back into CIC. "I told you before, Shepard. I'm not a very good turian."

Shepard stared at the elevator doors after they closed. What the hell did that mean? Should he call Artuis and try to figure out what went wrong, or would that only complicate matters if it was a personal issue between Garrus and a member of the _Vellius_ crew? He just didn't have enough information. One thing he knew for sure: until Garrus decided to open up, he shouldn't interfere and possibly make it worse.

He walked over to his terminal and scrolled through the available messages. Only a handful had come in during his absence, but there was only one he was concerned with. He highlighted the link to Arcturus Station, and an older woman with short gray hair appeared on the screen: High Commissioner Nancine Evjen, of the Alliance Diplomatic Corps. "Commander Shepard," she said. "Thank you for returning my call so quickly."

"Madam Commissioner," Shepard said. "Thank _you_ for getting back to me. I can't tell you what a relief it was to hear your office was still willing to arbitrate."

"Yes," Evjen said, her eyes flicking to a holo screen on her desk. "Commander, I need to patch someone into this call. One moment, please."

"Of course," Shepard said. An uneasy burn began in his stomach. It turned into full-fledged nuclear meltdown when a new face appeared on his screen. "Ambassador Udina."

"Shepard," Udina wore a dour expression. "There's no time to waste with platitudes, so I'll get right to the point. The Alliance will not be sponsoring any further mediation with the quarians and the geth. We've terminated the proceedings."

"Oh that's perfect," Shepard said. "Let me guess, did the Council threaten to take away your corner office if you didn't cooperate? Or are you doing this just to piss me off?"

"Damn it Shepard, for once, shut up and listen to me! You and I have had our share of run-ins, but you saved our relationship with the Council by your actions at Sahrabarik and I commend you for that. And I don't for an instant buy the nonsense the Terminus Systems are churning out about Dashta, either. For the first time this week, I've been getting calls from the other embassies that don't begin with accusations that my office is a Cerberus safehouse. You can't imagine the change in disposition of all the other species since Professor Mordin's report was approved for wide distribution. We're no longer the greatest threat to peace in the universe. Thanks to you, we're now looked upon as saviors."

Shepard let out a breath and nodded. Being combative with Udina was reflex by now, but so far everything the Ambassador had said was what he wanted to hear. He stared at the diplomat with tired eyes. "So tell me what happened."

"You're right," Udina said. "The pressure is coming from the Citadel, but not the way you're thinking. David Anderson is on the verge of being reinstated to the Council. It could happen in a matter of hours. The slate will be wiped clean and we can concentrate on preparing for the reapers. All of which will be jeopardized if we go sticking our nose in where it isn't wanted, especially after what happened the first time. And before you accuse me of putting human interests ahead of anything else, think about what a fractured Council would mean when the reapers come. Unity means survival for all of us. Isn't that what you've been fighting for all this time?"

"It is," Shepard said. "But the fate of the quarian people depends on the success of negotiations with the geth. And it's not just a matter of both sides saying they're sorry. There's three centuries of bad blood that has to be reconciled, and neither side completely trusts the other. They need impartial arbitration. It won't work otherwise."

Udina cleared his throat, obviously having expected an outburst instead of reasoned argument. "Believe it or not, Shepard, I was in favor of these negotiations from the start. The geth and the quarians came to us because they thought humanity could be trusted when the other Council species could not. That means a lot. When the Council disbarred Anderson, there was even talk of splitting from the Citadel altogether, forging our own alliances and governing bodies, like the Terminus Systems or Traverse, quarians and geth included. But with the reapers coming, the circumstances have changed. We must not let _anything_ jeopardize our relationship with the rest of the Council species."

"If we do nothing, millions of people could die."

"Millions versus _billions, _Shepard. Don't you frequently use logic like that to justify your own actions?"

Shepard looked down and sighed.

"The Alliance can not and will not sponsor these talks any further. Period." When Udina saw Shepard's scowl, he soften his tone. "Look, I know this is personal for you, given the makeup of your crew. It is for me too."

"Yeah, how so?"

"Ferdinand Castillo was a close personal friend of mine. I knew the man fifty years. _Fifty years,_ Shepard. He was one of our most respected diplomats, and one hell of a fine human being. He was the architect of the peace initiatives with the turians after the First Contact War, and instrumental in building relationships with the other species on the Citadel. He was my mentor for all my years on Arcturus. And I had to look into his wife's eyes and tell her that he had been killed in some dark corner of space that no one has heard of, for reasons no one really cares about. But the last thing I want, the last thing he deserves, is for him to have truly died for nothing."

All Shepard could do was to continue to stare at the man's face on the screen. Like it or not, he was now facing the argument that he had used so many times in the past, one that got him involved with the most notorious terrorist organization in the galaxy. The reapers were coming. Everything else was secondary. "I understand. But I don't like it."

"I don't either. Maybe after the invasion, assuming we survive it, we can try to help. Maybe even with the consent of the Council, if both the geth and quarians are willing to play an active role in defense against the reapers. But now, we just can't risk it. I'm sorry."

"Right." Shepard's jaw clenched. "You got anything else for me?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Pardons for my crew. Immunity? All that nonsense, remember?"

Udina's eyes widened briefly. "I'll have to get back to you on that. Udina out."

"You do that," Shepard told the empty space above his console. He leaned his arms across the ledge and rested his head and tried to figure out a way to tell the quarians and geth that they were going to have to work out their differences alone.


	54. Walk Away

Shepard approached the briefing room door and paused to listen. If Tali was in the middle of wrangling with the Conclave, he didn't want to interrupt. But the room sounded silent. Had she gone through the lab on her way to CIC and missed him?

Inside, Legion and Platform two both stood next to the table on the right, behind Tali, slumped slumped over in a chair with her head and arms on the table. Shepard scowled, concerned, until he saw her shoulders rise and fall, and he heard a faint snore coming from her vocalizer. She'd forgotten to turn it off. The two geth kept their cameras on him as he approached.

"How long has she been out," Shepard whispered.

"Forty-six minutes," the geth answered simultaneously.

Shepard hated to wake anyone with bad news, especially when bad news was the norm of late. But there was no point in putting it off. He reached out and gently shook Tali's shoulder.

Tali inhaled sharply and sat up, then blinked as she tried to remember where she was. "Oh. Shepard. I'm sorry, I didn't know when you'd be back so I just put my head down for a minute and... Wow, you look really nice."

Shepard smiled and smoothed the front of his uniform. "Yeah, well, I couldn't go over to the _Vellius _looking like I just came off a Cerberus ship, could I?"

Tali smiled back. "No. This is a much better look for you. Um... You had a good talk with their captain?"

"I did. She's agreed to take Mordin back to the Citadel."

"Oh, that's great. I mean, I'm going to miss him, but it will be a relief to know he'll be safe." Tali stood and looked Shepard from head to toe. Maybe it was because she was so tired, or that she just hated seeing him a Cerberus uniform, but she couldn't help but comment again. "You always looked so handsome when you wore that on the Citadel."

"Thanks, Tali. I have to say, I miss wearing it."

"Me, too. I mean... miss you wearing it. I mean- So, did you hear from your ambassadors?"

"I did. And I'm afraid the Alliance is out of the picture. At least for now."

"I see," Tali said and sat back down.

"I'm sorry, Tali." Shepard turned to Platform Two. "But it's only end if you let it be. Maybe this is a good thing. Sometimes middlemen only slow down the process, right?"

Platform Two buzzed. "Our lack of experience in negotiating with organics could encourage the creators to take advantage of us. Given the creators' hostility toward geth, we view outside mediation as necessary for any chance of success."

"Blue, come on. All you have to do is talk to them. Don't let this be a roadblock. You're so close, and all the right people are out of the way now."

"Shepard," Tali said from her chair, "Blue's right. They're right not to trust us. I hate to say this, but... You know how long it took me to change my mind about Legion. A _long_ time, much longer than you wanted, remember? And I think my progress with him has given you unrealistic hopes about how my people view the geth as a whole. Do you remember how I acted when..." Tali swallowed and cleared her throat, "I thought Legion was dead and you asked me to bring him back? That was only a few weeks ago."

"Seems like years," Shepard took the chair next to Tali. "I guess it's a little naive to think everyone would change their minds like you did."

Tali laughed, to Shepard's surprise. "They haven't seen what I have, have they? Unfortunately, quarian consensus doesn't work like the geth. Or as well. I mean, after me, Kal is probably the closest thing to a friend in the fleet that the geth have, and you know what he thinks of them. My people have lost too much, suffered for so long. Three weeks isn't nearly enough to heal. And especially after everything that's happened with _Rayya..." _She looked up. "Do Miranda or Miss T'Vari have any leads on who was behind the attack?"

"No, not yet."

"That makes things even worse. Most of the fleet think the geth are responsible. Even the ones who were open to negotiation. Blue is right. There has to be a neutral party to mediate. It won't work otherwise."

"Okay then," Shepard said, looking between the quarian and geth. "The key thing was getting you two back to the bargaining table. You're there. It shouldn't matter who does the arbitration, as long as we can find someone who is mutually accepted."

"Agreed," Tali said.

The blue geth nodded. "Affirmative."

"So who, then?" Shepard leaned back in the chair. "Did you ever consider any alternates?"

"Negative," Legion spoke up. "The peace proposal originated with the human diplomats at Arcturus. They were considered ideal by both sides because of humanity's influence on the Citadel but their simultaneous willingness to exclude the Council from the proceedings."

"I assume that means going to the Citadel with this is still out of the question?"

"Yes," the two geth and quarian said in unison. "No Council," Tali said firmly.

"Just checking," Shepard said. "So who does that leave? The volus? The elcor? Aria on Omega?"

Platform Two's flaps contracted. "In spite of her considerable influence, we do not believe T'Loak-Aria to be a viable option for-"

"I was kidding, Blue. Just a joke."

"Acknowledged."

Shepard looked back to Tali at the table next to him. She rested her helmet in her hands as she leaned against the table, her eyes closed once again. "I don't know, Shepard," Tali said. "I can't even think anymore. I don't want to."

"Right," Shepard said. He was about to say _don't take too long, the clock is ticking,_ but if there was one person who was aware of time slipping away, it was the woman in front of him. "Look, we're going to have a little going-away gathering in the lounge for Mordin, assuming he can break free from his call with Hackett. Why don't you think on it here for a while, and come down when you're ready and give yourself a little break. You've earned it."

"I don't know," Tali said. "No one in the fleet is taking a break right now. I shouldn't."

"Right," Shepard wanted to kick himself for inviting the quarian to a party while her people faced starvation. He patted her thigh and stood. "Well, as soon as you figure it out, come find me."

"I will."

Shepard nodded to the pair of geth and walked toward the hatch.

Legion took a step to follow. "Shepard-Commander."

"Yeah, Legion? What's up?"

"We were not proposing a query," Legion said. "We were answering yours. Shepard-Commander should arbitrate negotiations between the geth and the creators."

"What?" Shepard asked.

Tali sat up straight and looked between Legion and Shepard, her eyes wide with excitement. "That's brilliant!"

"Woah," Shepard said. "Wait a minute..."

"Consensus achieved," Blue stepped in front of Shepard and sound as excited any geth could. "Core collective reporting one-hundred percent in favor of Shepard-Commander assuming mediation role in negotiations with a margin of error of less than zero point zero-one percent."

"Hey, hold up-"

Tali jumped from her chair. "Please, Shepard! It's a perfect idea! I know you were at odds with the Admiralty Board, but they're gone now. The Conclave is in control. When you represented me at my trial, you have no idea what that meant to the Captains of the Conclave. They know you and respect you. Quarians throughout the whole fleet do. Most of all, everyone knows you'll leave the Council out of it."

"Shepard-Commander," Blue said in his other ear, "the entire collective is confident that you will provide fair and comprehensive arbitration in any dealings with the creators, and will reciprocate on the creators' behalf."

Shepard rubbed his neck. "Look, I don't even know where I'm going to be in a week. There's been a huge breakthrough on the reaper invasion. I can't commit to something like this, give it the attention it deserves."

"Just get us started," Tali clasped Shepard's hands in front of her. "Please. We don't have time to start from scratch."

She stood close enough that Shepard could see the desperation in her eyes, but also the hope that he gave her. But all he felt was dread. "You need a diplomat. An honest-to-goodness negotiator. Not someone whose solution to every problem is to point a gun at someone's head until they agree. That won't work here. Trust me. I'm not the right man for the job."

"Yes you are," Tali said, her voice constricted.

Shepard sighed. At times like this, he was amazed at how much emotion Tali could convey simply with her eyes. "Tell me one way I'm remotely qualified."

Tali squeezed his hands. "Because you believe in this. More than anyone. You did from the start, even when I didn't."

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said. "You are the only entity trusted by both factions. You are the logical choice."

Shepard locked in on Legion. It was sometimes difficult to tell when the geth was actually looking at someone, but for the first time, he felt the geth was actually making eye contact. Platform Two stared silently from behind them, watching his slightest movements. Shepard found himself unable to speak. When he did, it came out with a hesitant stutter. "I'll have to think about this."

"Okay," Tali blinked. "Um, okay."

Not sure of what else to say, Shepard nodded. "I've got to go check on Mordin. See if he's ready to go."

"Right. I'll, uh, wait to hear from you then."

Shepard pulled his hands away from hers and headed out of the briefing room. Why didn't they understand what he was saying? He had always pushed Tali and Legion closer together, encouraged them to cooperate as crew-mates, but he'd always insisted that they _not _put him in the middle of it, but talk to each other instead. It was the only way they could possibly get over their issues, and was the only reason they had come as far as they had.

_You've always been a facilitator, _he told himself. _Not a mediator. __It's one thing to bring two parties together, but you've always left it up to them to make peace or not. You can't make them do it, no matter what they think. _

And how long would negotiations take? Days? Weeks? The Alliance Diplomatic Corps had planned for the long haul and had the personnel and resources to see it through, until their diplomat had been killed in the attack which crippled the _Ra__yya._ But with everything still going on with the reapers, with Cerberus and all the other problems in the universe, could he afford to stay out of the loop long enough to have any effect?

By the time he finished that line of thought, he was in CIC, punching the button in the elevator for the the crew deck. _Or do you just not want this to be your problem, on top of everything else? _

"Hold the elevator!" Joker hobbled toward him from around CIC's central island. When he stepped inside, he leaned against the elevator, out of breath. He carried a rectangular slab of black plastic under one arm. "Thanks, Commander."

Shepard kept his hand on the elevator and eyed Joker's cargo. "Bringing a date, I see."

Joker flashed an embarrassed smile. "Well, you know, she doesn't have a terminal down there, and it seems kind of wrong to leave her out when we get together..."

Shepard stared at the door in front of him. "Very thoughtful of you."

As the elevator descended, Joker kept glancing at his captain. "You okay, Commander?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You've got that little crease on your forehead that you get when you're really pissed off and you don't want anyone to know, but we all still do, anyway."

Shepard touched his forehead and at the same time realized he was wearing a deep scowl. He relaxed his face and pretended to shrug it off.

"What is it this time? The Council? The Illusive man?"

"No."

"It's not me, is it?"

"No, Joker, it's not you. Not yet."

"Just making sure. But if you keep it up, you'll end up with wrinkles. So... What's the latest with the quarians? How's Tali doing?"

The elevator doors opened onto the crew deck and Shepard hurried out without answering, leaving Joker behind. The door to Port Observation stood open and the sound of light conversation and trance music echoed through the corridor. He walked in to see much of the crew standing about or sitting on the couches scattered about the lounge, talking and laughing and drinking from disposable paper cups.

Personnel from different divisions were all clumped with their own kind, but that always changed after a while. And, as usual, the members of the squad were camped out next to the bar, Except for Grunt, who stood with four people from Technical, towering over the small group of laughing humans. Then there was Garrus, sitting by himself on the aft couch, staring out the window.

Shepard made his way forward. Kasumi stood behind the bar, on top of which were dozens of the small paper cups filled with orange fruit punch. Miranda and Jacob sat on the stools, while Zaeed leaned against the wall at the end, his traditional spot where he could lean comfortably, still see the exit, and not have to reach very far for his drink.

Kasumi whistled at the sight of the Commander as he approached in his dress uniform. "Finally, a customer with class! What can I get for you, sir?"

Jacob stood from his stool and snapped a salute. "Good day, Commander, _sir!"_

Soon, everyone around the bar was grinning and saluting Shepard, except Miranda, who just shook her head and sighed. Shepard stood with his hands on his hips and waited for the laughter to die down. He leaned over the bar to inspect the cups. They were filled with a translucent orange liquid. "So what's everyone drinking?"

"Water, or fruit punch," Miranda said, to a chorus of boos from around the room. She raised her voice to be heard. "As per _your order,_ Commander, no alcoholic beverages are being served."

Shepard nodded and picked up a cup of juice. "Good. We're moving out as soon as Mordin transfers to the _Vellius. _I don't want anyone getting trashed. Zaeed, you read me?"

The mercenary stared sadly at the paper cup in is hand. "Loud and clear, Shepard."

Miranda cocked her head. Ordinarily, Shepard would try to make light of the sudden dry spell, up to and including implying that it had all been her idea. But not now. "Everything all right, Commander?"

"Where's Mordin?"

"He's still on the comm with Admiral Hackett and the Citadel. He might not make it down here in time, though."

"All right, well... If he's not here in fifteen minutes, have everyone assemble outside the airlock so we can see him off."

"Yes, sir."

All around the bar, the gathered squad exchanged worried glances as Shepard quietly downed a cup of juice. It was as if a dampening field had enveloped that corner of the lounge.

"Joker!" Kasumi cleared some of the paper cups away on the bar to make room for him as he hobbled up to the end of the bar. "What will it be?"

Joker placed the black plastic tile under his arm on the bar's surface. Almost instantly, EDI's spherical avatar materialized over its surface. "Nothing for me, thanks. I'm driving. That is a joke."

"And it's a good one, too, EDI."

Everyone around the bar now exchanged slight smiles at the change in their pilot's and AI's attitude toward one another. Joker now took a portable projector anywhere he went on the ship; to the mess, to the lounge, wherever there wasn't one of EDI's consoles present, he brought her with him. It was a far cry from the pilot who bitched incessantly about the mechanical intruder in the sanctum of his cockpit. Now they were inseparable.

Kasumi pointed at the pilot. "What about you, Joker? Water, or artificially flavored and colored powdered 'fruit beverage?'"

Joker winced at his options. "Could I get a coke?"

"Special order for a special man," Kasumi pulled up the bar's fountain gun and squirted fizzy brown soda into a cup.

"Woah, hitting the hard stuff," Jacob said. "Slow down, there. Kasumi, he's cut off after this."

"Definitely," Kasumi said, "Don't want him scuffing up the ship again. Already needs a new paint job."

"Yeah, one more ding and the _Normandy_ will look almost as busted up as Zaeed."

EDI's avatar pulsed in time to her words. "'Scuffed up' and 'dinged' are hardly adequate descriptions for what I have experienced the past few days."

"Ooh, that's right," Kasumi winced. "It's your body, isn't it? I never thought about that. You sure you don't want that drink, now?"

"No, thank you, Kasumi. I don't feel pain in the same sense as organics do, but I am aware of the state of every component of the ship. When parts of it are non-functional, it is... disconcerting."

Joker patted EDI's tile. "We'll take better care of it from now on. I promise."

"That is not entirely under your control, but thank you, Jeff."

Jacob raised his cup. "Hopefully we can go without any of us getting dinged for a while. Shit's gettin' old. So what's the word, Commander? What's next?"

Shepard shook his head. "Not sure yet. We'll have to see what Hackett says."

When the bar fell silent once more, Miranda tried to keep the conversation going. "So what did Arcturus have to say about sending another representative?"

Kasumi's eyes lit up beneath her cowl. "The negotiations are back on? Oh, I'm so happy to hear that. I knew the geth wouldn't hold a grudge."

"It's not that simple," Shepard said. "Arcturus said no. The Alliance has rescinded their offer to mediate, and the geth won't move forward without it."

"What are they going to do?" Kasumi asked, looking directly at Shepard. "The geth know the creators are about to run out of food, don't they?"

"They know," Shepard snapped.

Jacob looked up at him. "So what's the plan, Commander?"

Shepard set his empty cup back on the bar and looked at the ring of faces around him, all watching him for his answer. "I don't know," he said and walked away.

* * *

Garrus didn't look to see who sat on the couch next to him, instead focusing on the starscape outside the window. He didn't have to. Being on the _Normandy,_ a visit was inevitable, whether it was here or in the Forward Battery. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to come over here."

When he didn't get a reply, Garrus turned his head. Shepard watched his crew mingle about, laughing and chatting, seemingly without a care of the world in spite of everything that had happened the past few days. Shepard usually fed off of that kind of energy, but now he just looked beaten down.

Tali and Legion walked through the open hatch to their right. Tali stopped in the door and looked around nonchalantly, as if surveying the room just to see who was there, but there was always one person she looked for, first. When Tali saw Garrus looking back at her, she turned her head and made a beeline for the bar with Legion in tow, all the time somehow managing to keep Shepard in her line of sight. The squad and crew of the _Normandy_ all gathered around her to offer their sympathies for the _Rayya. _Shepard watched briefly, then redirected his gaze to the ceiling.

_Not good, _Garrus thought. Shepard always went out of his way to comfort any of his crew in time of crisis, but instead of rushing to join the others, he pretended not to see her. "I take it things aren't going so smoothly between the geth and quarians."

A flash of anger crossed Shepard's face, then he closed his eyes and sighed. "You ever make a decision you knew was right, but made you feel like crap?"

Garrus let out a laugh and turned back to the window. The Commander must have gotten the story from Captain Artuis about what happened on the _Vellius_, and as usual was slow-playing his hand. "Why don't you just come right out and say it?"

"Say what?"

Garrus turned back to Shepard, and saw his own confusion mirrored in Shepard's face. They stared at each other for several seconds. "Hmm. We're both obviously not wanting to talk about different things."

Shepard raised his brow. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"You, first."

"No, you first. That's an order. What's the problem?"

"Turians suck."

"Yeah?" Shepard gave a grunt. "So do humans."

Garrus settled into the couch. Shepard obviously had some great weight pressing down on him, and had actually come to get it off his chest. Somehow he knew whatever was bothering Shepard would be more important. If it would get him talking about it, Garrus would play along. "So I'm over on the _Vellius_, drinking with the crew, laughing, having a great time. As fortune would have it, three very lovely ladies gathered to keep me company."

"What, only three? I would have expected at least ten or twelve, based on your previous stories."

"I have no need to exaggerate my conquests, Shepard. You're just projecting."

"Whatever, dude. When was the last time you saw me get shot down?"

"Can't say. When was the last time you actually got into the air?"

The two of them laughed. Shepard held up his hands. "Okay, enough about me. Let's get back to how you had three hot women on the line but yet you came back on board with an empty net."

"Not hot," Garrus corrected. "On _fire,_ Shepard. I mean on any ship there's always one or two that will turn your head, but on this little frigate, with a crew of maybe twenty-four, there were three. And they were all right there, all vying for my attention..."

"Hold on," Shepard said. He pulled an invisible box from his pocket and went to work on it with an invisible screwdriver. "Can this wait? I'm in the middle of calibrating my bullshit meter."

"I mean it. Two of them were talking about taking me on at the same time, and I think they meant right then and there. And the third was about to take _them_ on to stop it. Being the diplomat, I was going to suggest that we just make it a free for all, and let strength and skill determine who came out on top. So to speak."

"Right. I think I heard this one somewhere. 'Dear Fornax, I never thought this could happen to me...'"

"Do you want to hear the rest of this, or not?"

"No, please, continue. I'm hanging on every bullshit word."

"So anyway," Garrus sighed, "I was the middle of _destroying_ their champion at a game of daggers when the rest of the crew starts asking about life on a human ship. That's not unusual. Most turians only ever serve with other turians. I mean they already understood that you all smell funny, and we already know you _look_ funny, but outside of that, for the most part, turians respect humans as equals."

"The feeling is mutual, on all counts."

With another sigh, Garrus continued. "But then they started in on the other people on the _Normandy_, other species that they don't respect... and all of the sudden, it wasn't funny any more. I mean, I know you're kidding, just like you know I am. But they weren't."

"Let me guess, 'I'm not racist, but...'"

"No, not even that. They didn't even try to justify it." Garrus stood and started to pace. "The worst part is they automatically assumed I felt the same way they did. They _wanted_ me to. I was ashamed, Shepard. Turian society is built on merit. It doesn't matter what a person's lineage is. If you come from the lowliest, poorest clan, if you start with nothing, you are judged solely on your achievements and can achieve the highest stations. But apparently that doesn't apply to other species. If you're a human you're a diplomatic disaster. If you're a krogan, you're a mindless savage. If you're a quarian... you're a shiftless thief, unworthy of helping, even if your entire species is facing extinction. I guess that's what really set me off. It wasn't that they didn't want to help. It's that they didn't even think they _should._ One of them even suggested using force to... end the quarian problem once and for all."

Garrus found himself staring at his own reflection in the observation window in front of him. He couldn't look himself in the eyes. "And I didn't say anything to stop them. I just left without saying a word. I'm a coward, Shepard. I should have said... something."

Shepard looked at the back of his friend's head. "Seems to me like you said plenty when you walked out of there. Not everyone would have done that considering what you were there to do. But you know what you would have accomplished by making a scene?"

"What?"

"Nothing. They'd have started in on you two seconds later."

"At least I would have been in good company."

"Maybe." Shepard stretched back, his hands behind his head. "Hey, you remember Charlie Pressly, don't you?"

Garrus looked over his shoulder at Shepard. "Of course."

"When you first came aboard the _Normandy,_ you remember what he called you?"

"No. Wait, what? What did he call me?"

"Spike. Or spike-head."

"Really? You serious?"

"Oh yeah," Shepard shrugged. "Never to your face. And not in front of me, once he found out I didn't like it. But that didn't stop him. Actually he had a lot of names for you. Space chicken, vulture, dodo bird..."

Garrus scowled. Most of the slurs Shepard mentioned represented avian species on the human homeworld he'd never even heard of, but because of their repeated use by humans every turian knew what they meant. But to hear Shepard say it so casually, putting words in the mouth of a dead crew mate he thought of as a friend disgusted him.

"He hated having you on board our ship," Shepard explained, "and he wasn't alone. Probably a full third of the crew felt the same way, and maybe even half if you count the ones who didn't speak their minds. And don't even get me started on Ash."

"Well I knew how she felt about me from the start, but she got better. But everyone else on the _Normandy? _You're talking about the SR-1, right?_"_

Shepard nodded. "The original. Pre-Cerberus. Of course, I wasn't going to tolerate it. Not on my ship. But no matter what I did, it happened anyway. I had private meetings, one-on-ones, group sessions, gave speeches, handed out reprimands. You remember Vera Lesmono in communications?"

"Vaguely. She transferred off not long after Tali and I came aboard."

"That's one way of putting it. Another is that I kicked her ass off the ship because she was a raging bitch when it came to aliens. God, she made Ash look moderate, and she didn't even try to hide it. She was like a cancer. She somehow worked it into every conversation. You could be talking about your favorite flavor of ice cream, and she would bring alien oppression into it. It was poisonous to morale and cohesion of the crew, so I got rid of her.

"But it didn't do a damn bit of good. None of it. You see, I could order them not to say it, but I couldn't keep them from thinking it. The more I tried, the more it made them resent me as their commander, because I didn't 'get it.' I was a sympathizer, an alien lover, because I allowed the four of you on an Alliance ship. And Pressly was one of the worst."

Garrus stared at Shepard in disbelief. "I had no idea."

"Well, they never did it when any of you were around, and I never wanted any of you to find out. So I made sure everyone kept their mouths shut and did their jobs."

Garrus's mind slipped back to the past, remembering names and faces of his old shipmates. Nothing Shepard said was connecting with any of them.

Shepard cleared his throat. "Did I ever tell you I went back to the original _Normandy?_ Before you came aboard the second time around, before I picked you up on Omega, I went back to Alchera. Hackett found the crash site and asked me to scope it out. Found a few things while I was there... personal effects, mainly, including Pressly's personal log. You know what he said about you in it? In one of his last entries? He said he was wrong about you. All of you. And in the end, he would have died for any one of you. Even though you never knew it, in the end he was sorry for how he felt."

"I never even knew to begin with." Garrus shook his head. "I still can't believe it."

"Maybe it's just as well. Maybe it doesn't even matter now. What counts is that in the end, he thought of you as a friend. You know what finally changed the crew's mind, though? It wasn't my lectures, it wasn't the punishments or anything I did. It was Therum. Feros. Noveria... Virmire. It was pretty amazing how fast the hate speech dried up once we were all getting shot at together. The point of all this is I wouldn't be so hard on the _Vellius _crew_._ Nothing you could have said would have changed their minds in the least. Some things have to be learned first hand."

Garrus sat back down on the couch and looked across the sea of mostly humans which now crowded the room in front of him. Many still wore their Cerberus-issue uniforms, sporting a symbol that had long symbolized the worst of humanity, of what many of the original _Normandy_ crew apparently felt at the start. He glanced over at Shepard, who nodded his head toward the bar. Someone in the squad had said something funny, because everyone around the bar, now including Grunt, Kelly and Doctor Chakwas were laughing hysterically. Miranda held her hand over her eyes, but there was no mistaking the smile on her face and the heaving of her shoulders as the ordinarily reserved Cerberus operative laughed out loud. Most striking of all was the quarian woman, doubled over with laughter, clasping onto the arm of the geth standing next to her as it supported her with its other arm to keep her from falling over.

Shepard kept looking at Tali and Legion. "People can change, Garrus. It doesn't happen overnight, it can't be forced, and it's never guaranteed... but under the right circumstances, it can happen. Being turian has nothing to do with it."

The two of them continued to watch their shipmates around the bar. Garrus laughed to himself. "You know, that's going to be a tough act to follow."

"What is?"

"Well, I told you my problem, and in true Commander Shepard fashion, you put things in perspective. Very nicely I might add. I'm wondering if I'll be able to do the same when you tell me yours."

"Don't worry about it. It's not important."

"Not important? This from a man who's saved the galaxy at least twice in the last week. Something's bothering you. Spill it."

Shepard laughed. "Well, as it happens, turns out I'm a coward, too."

"Yeah, okay. Now _my_ bullshit detector just blew up in my hand."

"I mean it, Garrus. The Alliance was all set to send another diplomat to help the quarians make peace with the geth. Then Udina called the whole thing off. And I agreed with him. God help me, I couldn't think of a single argument against him. Right or wrong, mostly wrong, helping the quarians puts the Alliance at odds with the Citadel again. With the invasion coming, we can't afford that. We have to work together, or no one's going to make it."

Garrus looked down at the floor as Shepard talked. "You know, I just whine to you about personality conflicts. You bring me threats to interstellar peace. You always have to one-up me, don't you?"

"Want to trade?"

"Not on your life. So what are the alternatives?"

"Funny you should ask that," Shepard said, "because right after I told Tali and Blue, Legion suggested that I do it."

Garrus blinked. He was about to comment on what a brilliant solution that was, but the look on Shepard's face indicated the Commander didn't agree. "So what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything. I pulled a Garrus Vakarian and ran out on them. Except your reason for turning tail was a little more noble."

Like a missing puzzle piece falling into place, Tali's reaction to Shepard now made perfect sense to Garrus. "So... what? You don't want to butt in? That certainly hasn't been a problem for you before."

Shepard looked around the lounge. "It's getting late. Where the hell is Mordin? We've got a schedule to keep."

"I'm serious, Shepard." Garrus let the obvious attempt to change the subject go. "How's this any different than what you did at Sahrabarik to get the fleets to work with each other again? You, personally, stopped a war, and woke the Citadel from their slumber about the reapers in the process. I had front row seats to the whole thing. And it's not the first time, either. It's habit with you. You can't help yourself. So it can't be because of the stakes involved. This is nothing compared to what you've dealt with before."

"It isn't. This is different." Shepard rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"How so?"

"Outside of the geth, nobody wants this. The Alliance doesn't want it. The Citadel doesn't want it. Enlea's secret council of Matriarchs don't want it. Whoever hit the _Rayya_ really doesn't want it. Ant to hear Tali talk, even though they're hanging by a thread, most quarians don't want it. The only people who really care are on this ship." Shepard lowered his hand and looked over at Tali and Legion. "And if this blows up I fail both of them. So, you got an answer for that?"

"If that's what's really bothering you, then yes. Yes, I do. You've never failed any of us. You can't. It's just not possible because of who you are. We all know that. You've always put your crew first. Always. And, as a _frequent _beneficiary I can tell you this: plans go wrong, shit happens. But you've never let that stop you. You never give up. In all honesty, the only way you could possibly fail any of us is if you did."

Shepard let out a deep breath, glanced briefly at Garrus and then back toward the bar. Garrus had seen that look before many times as the commander ran through scenarios in his head, trying to consider all possible outcomes to a situation, and how to choose a path that lead to the best one possible.

"So you had a foursome lined up," Shepard said, "and you walked away because it was the honorable thing to do?"

Garrus nodded.

"You're a fuckin' idiot." Shepard stood up from the couch and headed for the bar.

Garrus leaned back into the cushion, a slight smile on his face. "Takes one to know one, Shepard."

Shepard smiled and patted his crew on their backs as he made his way to the bar, stopping to ask Hawthorne about his injured hand, and with Matthews to see how his leg was feeling. Everyone seemed relaxed and happy, which always had a synergistic effect on their Commander. He stopped short of the bar itself, though. They were still chatting and laughing there, and given his prior performance there, he didn't want to ruin it. But he knew he wouldn't have to wait long before the person he wanted to talk to would see him.

Sure enough, Tali's glowing eyes flashed in his direction a few seconds after he moved, and he beckoned her over. She excused herself as she hastily bumped into Legion, then walked over as if merely on her way to check out the temperature reading on the room's thermostat. "Commander?"

Shepard took a deep breath. "All right, I'm in." He had no time to react before he was shoved against the lounge's wall by the diminutive quarian, who squeezed with a hug that would have made Grunt gasp for breath. She made no noise, having cut off her audio feed. With her face buried against his chest, Shepard couldn't see her eyes, but he could feel her trembling inside her suit as he hugged her back.

He looked about the room as he continued the embrace. Most of the crew didn't even take notice, still involved in their own conversation spaces. At the bar, he barely received a glance from Grunt, Jacob and Zaeed, while Joker simply touched the brim of his cap. Kelly, Kasumi and Doctor Chakwas cocked their heads with expressions that read "awww", while at the end of the bar, Miranda tapped her omnitool indicating that it was time for Mordin to transfer to the _Vellius. A_cross the floor, from the back of the room, Garrus just smiled at the sight of Tali trying to crush Shepard in her arms.

Shepard gave Miranda a nod and waved a finger around in a circle, a sign to wrap everything up. Tali still clung to him, but he didn't pull away.

"All right," Miranda announced. "Attention, everyone. Mordin couldn't break away from his call to be here, but he's due on the _Vellius _in just a few minutes. We're going to move up to the airlock to see him off. You can take your drinks, but anyone who leaves a cup in CIC will suffer the consequences..."

Tali let go of Shepard as the crew filed out, nodding and waving as they passed. As the squad walked by, they either smiled or winked, but said nothing, at least not while in ear-shot. Garrus walked by, a knowing smile on his face. Shepard couldn't be certain, but the turian looked like he mouthed _idiot_ as he passed. Then Legion stopped in front of the pair, its camera panning back and forth between the two of them.

The quarian reached out to touch the geth's shoulder, while keeping her other arm wrapped around Shepard. "He said yes!"

Legion stood in front of Shepard and straightened as Tali had seen it do as it looked at its reflection in the Armory.

"At ease, Legion. Just looking for another excuse to wear this uniform again." Shepard nodded to more of the passing crew as they made their way out. Since it was a _Normandy_-only event, none of the ship's guests had been invited. "Do me a favor, Legion, and let Blue know. And, Tali? You should probably let the Conclave know they've got a new negotiator."

"Oh! I already told them. I mean, asked them. If it would be okay if you- I mean I didn't say you'd do it I just asked them if you could and they said that that would be fine and that they were really sorry about what happened with the Admirals, and-"

"Tali? Breathe."

Tali paused, inhaled deeply, then let out a huge, cathartic sigh. "I'll let them know."

"And as soon as Mordin's away, we'll get started. How's that sound?"

"Great," was all Tali could manage, before launching into another hug. Shepard returned it and rocked the crying woman back and forth for a few moments before pulling away. "Come on, let's go. We don't want to miss our chance to say goodbye."

"No," Tali said after she composed herself. "Absolutely not." Then, like some switch had been thrown, she bounced excitedly and scrambled out the hatch. "I'll go call the elevator!"

Shepard was about to turn to follow, but for some reason the geth just stood there staring at him. "You don't want a hug, do you?"

Legion cocked its head, then extended its right hand. Shepard smiled and shook it.

"Thank you, Shepard-Commander.

"It's an honor, Legion. I mean that."

"No, Shepard-Commander," Legion continued to grasp when Shepard released his grip. It buzzed and clicked while its face plates shuffled through several configurations. "We are honored."

Shepard's stared at the machine in front of him. His first impulse when Legion uttered phrases like that was usually to question it as to what it thought the word really meant, and to ask if it was merely trying to mimic organic behavior. As convincing (and unsettling) as Platform Two's diplomatic routines could be, he knew that geth was merely running a simulation based purely on programming.

But now, staring into its bright white camera eye, in spite of all the conventional wisdom and evidence that AI's didn't have real emotions, Shepard _knew _Legion meant it. He clapped the geth on the shoulder and nodded toward the door. "Come on, let's go. We don't want to keep the _Vellius_ waiting."

With that, the geth followed the human to the ship's elevator, where a beaming quarian stood waiting for both of them.

* * *

_**A/N: And thus the second act story comes to an end. Clocking in at over 200K words, this has ended up being a whole lot longer than I ever imagined, especially after bringing it back to life after my post ME3 hiatus and making it even more complicated with the additional subplot of the asari matriarchs trying to keep some old dirty dealings dead and buried. I'm hoping (ha!) that I can keep the third act moving quickly and keep any of the plot threads from derailing the main story because if I end up going for another 100K words, this may never get done!**_

_**To further complicate things, I've got another project going, an original fiction novel for publication on its second draft and am looking for beta readers as I churn out the revisions. It's 100% original, medium-leaning-towards-hard scifi about first contact with a slightly more advanced species, from their perspective. PM me if interested in helpign me with this ongoing project, and my thanks in advance.**_


	55. Crossing Lines

The "neck" of the _Normandy,_ the long, narrow passageway that connected the cockpit to CIC, was packed end to end on both sides with the entire ship's compliment as well as the squad. Tali stood near the airlock, next to Legion and Garrus, with Joker, Miranda and Commander Shepard directly across from them.

Mordin worked his way up the corridor, stopping to shake hands and exchange hugs with his crew mates who lined up to see him off. Without a doubt, the salarian scientist was one of the most popular people on the ship, and it wasn't just because his quirky disposition and sense of humor held firm through the worst of circumstances. His unwavering desire to help those in need that earned him the respect shown to him now, be it assisting Doctor Chakwas in the infirmary or his tireless research into a threat which promised to doom civilization as everyone knew it.

Tali was no different. Mordin was one of the first of the SR-2 crew she'd come to think of as a friend. She was going to miss him dearly. Otherwise she wouldn't be standing near the cockpit, wasting precious time that could be spent helping the fleet, waiting to see him off.

That wasn't entirely true, either. She glanced across the corridor to Shepard, still in his dress uniform, looking over Miranda's shoulder at some display on the datapad permanently fused with her hand. Tali let out a long sigh of relief. The moment Shepard said he'd mediate for the geth, the pressure in her chest abated, and she could finally breathe normally like before the explosion on the _Rayya. _It had been a rough couple of days, and who knew what was to come, but with Shepard taking charge, there was at least a _chance_ that things would work out.

She blinked and shook her head at the sudden cheers around her. The entire squad had gathered around the airlock now, laughing and shaking Mordin's hand or clapping him on his shoulder. Even Grunt, who had gotten off to a rough start with most of his ship mates, now waited patiently in line to wish Mordin well. Seeing a krogan and salarian together as friends never failed to amuse her and she watched with a smile behind her mask. The tank-bred krogan had no idea how often he looked over at Shepard in situations like this, either seeking some kind of validation, or just waiting and watching to see how the Commander acted so he could emulate him later. She had her doubts about him after Shepard brought him on board, but it was clear even to here... No one on the ship tried harder Grunt.

"Mordin," Shepard offered his hand and shrugged apologetically. It wasn't often the Commander was ever lost for words. "I'd hoped we'd have a little more time, you know, to send you off right. I don't know what to say except thanks. For everything you've done."

Mordin smiled, his large eyes sparkling in the corridor's lights. "Honor is mine, Commander. Have always strived to serve greater good, have not always succeeded. Can say with certainty, greatest good possible achieved while in service on _Normandy."_

"Going to miss you, Professor."

Mordin's eyes rolled back in his head. He turned to face the gathered crowd. "Farewells excessive, dramatic. Unnecessary. Once allied defenses against reapers are finalized, will return. So, no need for goodbyes. Until next time."

Shepard pumped Mordin's hand again. "We'll save your seat."

"Expect nothing less. And please, keep lab in respectable condition. Have everything organized for optimum efficiency. Can't affort to waste time cleaning up again."

Amid laughter from his friends, Mordin turned to the airlock, stopping in front of Tali and Legion. He looked between them and bowed slightly. "Hope negotiations between geth and quarians successful. Can speak from personal experience: peace difficult to achieve, but worth the effort."

Tali reached out and gave Mordin a solid hug. "Thank you, Professor."

Mordin returned the hug and patted Tali on the back, then stepped in front of the geth. Legion's head flaps expanded as it looked to Tali, then around the faces staring back at it in the corridor. Wordlessly, it extended its arms wide, to the astonishment of everyone present, and accompanied by raucous laughter as Mordin stepped in to give the geth a hug.

"Until next time, Solus-Mordin."

"Rapid learner," Mordin said. "Hope definitely warranted. Look forward to seeing geth and quarian embassies on Citadel."

"Right next to each other," Tali said, holding back tears.

"Well then," Mordin said to the assembled crew. "_Vellius _and the Citadel await."

"Goodbye," came the cry from the crowd, until Mordin held up his hand, tut-tutting to himself.

"Until next time," Shepard corrected them loudly and firmly, drawing an even louder echo from the crew.

"Until next time," Mordin repeated, then stepped into the airlock. He paused on the other side to give a wave, then a salarian salute, and the door closed behind him.

* * *

The briefing room faded to darkness, then Shepard found himself looking into a face of a familiar red sun. The Illusive Man sat in his chair, puffing on a cigarette while swiping through a series of holo screens before him. He looked up at the arrival of the _Normandy's_ commander.

"Good to see you again, Shepard. I was beginning to wonder if you were avoiding me."

"We've been avoiding everyone, ever since Dashta."

"Understood. A wise precaution, given the circumstances. But I have good news. We know who was behind the attack. I'll send you our complete report-"

Shepard crossed his arms. "It was Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, of the quarian Admiralty Board, and possibly Admiral Han'Gerrel as well."

The Illusive Man's finger froze in midair over a holo. He closed the screen and leaned back in his seat. "I'm impressed."

"Miranda figured it out. They were the only ones who knew we were going to be at Dashta."

"Her intellect never fails to impress, nor does she ever fail to deliver. I'm glad she reached the same conclusion that we did. I was concerned your silence indicated you felt someone else might be responsible."

"Now why would I think that?"

The Illusive Man stared at Shepard with glowing eyes and the tip of his cigarette sparked red as he inhaled. He blew out a long stream of smoke. "Maybe because you suspect I know EDI is still unshackled, and has overridden all of our command inputs to bring the _Normandy _back under our control. And that Miranda has been helping you do it."

Shepard stood frozen, not even blinking.

But instead of being angry, the Illusive Man tapped his cigarette over the ash tray and sighed. "I've known for some time now, Commander. Am I happy about it? No. Am I concerned about Miranda? Of course. The damage she could do to Cerberus is incalculable. But the ultimate question is what am I going to do to stop you?"

Shepard's jaw clenched.

"And the answer to that is nothing." The Illusive Man took another puff. "You inspire tremendous loyalty, which is obviously why you've accomplished as much as you have. You create unity in the midst of great discord, succeedein ways I ways I could never have foreseen, with solutions that I would never have considered. It's who you are, and the results are undeniable. Interfering would jeopardize the ultimate goal of Cerberus, to keep humanity safe. Of equal importance, it would put you and I on a collision course, and I hope that's something you wish to avoid as much as I."

"That would get messy," Shepard said.

"Indeed it would."

"Keep it mind that if comes to that, I won't stop."

"I know you won't, Shepard," The Illusive Man said. "I'd be disappointed if you did. It's why I chose you, and why I won't try to stop you now. It's counterproductive to hold you back, and pointless to try. A prime example. I understand that your decision to give the collector installation over to the Alliance and Council has already borne fruit. Again, not the route I would have chosen, but outcome may prove to be the turning point in the war against the reapers. The information from the collector base has allowed the Alliance to decipher the purpose behind the so-called 'Alpha Relay.'"

"More than that," Shepard said. "The data they've pulled from that reaper construct at the Collector Base had even more information about the relay network than the IFF from the derelict reaper. Professor Solus thinks it may be the key to controlling the relays themselves. If we can figure that out before they get here, we can lock them out like the protheans did with the Citadel, but with entire relay network. We'll stop them cold."

"Professor Solus is unharmed? That's good to hear. His expertise is irreplaceable."

"I agree. That's why he's on his way back to the Citadel as we speak. We can't afford to lose him."

The Illusive Man straightened in his chair. "This is a great day, Shepard. The entire galaxy will be spared a cycle of destruction that spans the ages, at the same time gaining control of the greatest technology in the universe. And humanity will be forever remembered as the savior."

Shepard cocked his head.

"Forgive my human-centric rhetoric," The Illusive Man said. "It's who _I_ am."

"I know."

"Which brings us to the previous task at hand. Now that the reaper situation looks to be stabilizing, where do we stand with the geth and the quarians? I understand that Arcturus has retracted their offer to mediate the negotiations?"

"Your people must still be doing their jobs pretty well if you know that."

"Not all humans are ready to bow to the whims of the Council. It's discouraging news about the negotiations, but understandable given the circumstances surrounding the death of their last envoy."

"Speaking of which," Shepard said, "let's talk about the _Rayya."_

The Illusive Man looked down as he tapped his cigarette over the ash tray. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know what happened to it?"

"Are you asking if I am aware of the crisis now facing the quarian people? Yes. I am. A tragic catastrophe, to be sure."

"Do you have any information about who was behind it?"

"We've never been able to successfully infiltrate the flotilla. As Miranda may or may not have told you, that was my intention for her when the negotiations were first proposed. It hoped that she could provide us with an accurate assessment of the Migrant Fleet's disposition and security measures from the inside. However, given her recent activities, that scenario doesn't seem likely now, does it?"

"Do you have any theories?" Shepard asked. He began to pace. "Because we've found nothing. Whoever did it died in the attack, or was good enough at covering their tracks not to leave any."

"I'll put my top people on it. Though I have a feeling the most obvious answer is the correct one."

"Which is?"

"A quarian faction, perhaps even an individual, was attempting to disrupt the negotiations."

Shepard shook his head in disgust. "No quarian would ever attack one of their own liveships."

"That may not have been their intention. Perhaps Ambassador Castillo was the actual target, and it got out of hand. I don't think you need to look any further than the events at Dashta for proof of how far the quarians are willing to go to achieve their goals. Fanaticism is not solely the realm of humankind, in spite of what the rest of the galaxy thinks of us. Though it's ironic, if you think about it."

"What is?"

"Xen's goal was eliminate you and your crew at Dashta. Had you arrived on schedule, undeterred by her ambush, you might have very well been on the _Rayya_ when it was destroyed. In effect, Xen spared you from an attack that ultimately ended her own life. I suppose we should be grateful."

"Yeah, what a lucky break."

"Indeed. So what is your plan, now?"

Shepard studied the Illusive Man's face. It was a mask of indifference, the blue glow of his eyes staring back at him. Talking about the destruction of the _Rayya,_ the deaths of thousands of people and the starvation of millions more didn't even rate a frown with him. "We're taking the geth back to the Migrant Fleet to restart the negotiations. They've asked me to mediate."

The Illusive Man's eyebrows raised. "An excellent choice. An outstanding one, actually. If there's anyone who can bring them together, it's you. And the benefits-"

"I know," Shepard held up his hands. "Humanity to the rescue, once again."

"That will a pleasant side effect, yes. But that's not what I was going to say. You talked about the data retrieved from the Collector Base, and attempts to interface with the relay network. Imagine the processing power of the geth utilized in that capacity. If they could be convinced to help, as willing allies, we might learn the secrets of the relays in a matter of minutes, rather than the months or even years it will take organic minds to truly comprehend them."

Shepard grunted. "You know, I never even thought of that. If they interfaced with the larval reaper and the other systems on the base, who knows what they'll find that might help us?"

"Precisely."

"But god help us if they ever turn against us afterward."

"Now you see why I'm so eager to earn their goodwill, Shepard. They could be our greatest allies... or our worst enemies. Let's get them on our side, and give them a reason to stay there. Help them reconcile with their creators. Be their champion as well. If there's anyone who can do it, it's you."

"That's the plan. We're just need to hash out the fine details. We'll get underway as soon as we're done here."

The Illusive Man nodded. "Excellent. Is there anything you need from me? We still have a tender fleet in reserve specifically for the _Normandy._ They are on station near the Raheel-Leyya relay outside of the quarian interdiction zone. I will arrange a rendezvous, to provide whatever support the _Normandy _needs._"_

"Well the geth have taken care of all of the repairs, and delivered enough materials to fabricate replacement armaments. I think we're okay."

"What about consumables?"

Shepard thought for a moment. "We are running short, that's for sure. We lost a lot during the first collector attack, and we haven't been able to stop anywhere to resupply. So we'll definitely need to restock soon."

The Illusive Man pulled up a holo screen. "I'll send you the tender's ident and coordinates. You can dock before you head for the Flotilla, and they will hold position there in case you need further resupply. You may be there a while."

"Good thinking," Shepard said. "We'll need it."

The Illusive Man closed the holo. "Excellent. Keep me abreast of the situation and let me know if you need anything at all. All of my resources are at your disposal."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Good luck, Commander," The Illusive Man said, and faded into darkness.

As Commander Shepard's likeness dissolved into nothing, The Illusive Man bowed his head and rubbed his temple. Though he was loathe to admit it, he regretted what must be done now.

Shepard had mended the rift between the Alliance and the Council, and set into motion preparations to repel the greatest invasion the galaxy had ever known. But what would follow? The Alliance or Council would eventually grant clemency to Shepard and his crewonce the reaper invasion was successfully repulsed. While Shepard had done nothing to compromise Cerberus to this point, would that hold true once their partnership was no longer needed? Would Shepard turn the _Normandy_ and her crew over to the authorities, as he had done with the IFF and the Collector Base?

Shepard himself could do little damage, but Miranda Lawson was a clear threat. Outside of the Illusive Man, Miranda had knowledge of many of the organization's cells and operatives, not to mention the location of Cronos Station at Anadius. Compelled to testify, or voluntarily cooperating with C-Sec, Miranda could singlehandedly destroy it all.

And then there was the geth. What a prize the collective AI entity was now. If the geth could indeed utilize the reaper's data to hack the relay network, and did so while under Cerberus control, nothing would ever stand in the way of humanity's ascension. But then again, there was an obstacle. Daro'Xen knew it, just as the Illusive Man recognized it now. Commander Shepard would do everything in his power to prevent anyone from assuming control of the AI species. It was the one factor in the equation that if could not be accounted for, must be removed.

The Illusive Man took a long drag from his smoke and flipped through page after page of Shepard's mission reports on the holo in front of him, going back to his struggle to track down Saren. If humanity had a champion in the galaxy, it was this man. _But a single man lives only a lifetime,_ he thought, _and no one lives forever. Long after we are gone, humanity will still need a protector. The idea behind Cerberus must live on. _

The holo froze on a picture taken from a helmet cam, showing Shepard looking over the muzzle of his Avenger rifle, shoved right in the face of a woman who was about to die. Shepard's eyes were visible behind the sights, compressed into an angry scowl right before he pulled the trigger. The file annotation read: _Commander Shepard executes Cerberus Operative Uma Sagong, Binthu Installation, Voyager Cluster, 18AUG2183. _From the angle of the picture, Shepard looked to be aiming the rifle right between the Illusive Man's own eyes.

He touched the comm panel in the arm of his chair. "Inform our ships at Raheel-Leyya that the _Normandy _will be arriving in a matter of hours for resupply. As soon as they dock to make the transfer, they are to take the ship and eliminate the crew. Have the senior operative on site send me details of his plans immediately. I'd like to review them."

_"Yes, sir," _came the reply.

The Illusive Man took one last look at the image of Shepard and switched off the feed as he crushed his cigarette into the ash tray. "No sacrifice too great," he said to the empty air.

* * *

A cylinder of light collapsed around Shepard's body and he found himself standing at the head of _Normandy's _briefing room once more. He turned around and leaned against the table. "That went better than I expected. And I think the chance to resupply is too good to-"

Miranda stared at him from her seat at the table, outside the quantum array's pickup range for the duration of the call. She leaned back and folded her arms across her chest.

"You disagree?"

"He knows I betrayed him."

"So? I've done it twice this week and he's still talking to me." Shepard waved a hand to where the Illusive man sat moments before. "But he knows why you did it. And he's still willing to help. I think he's resigned to the fact that you work for me now."

"In my time with Cerberus, we've have our fair share of rogue operatives. People who for whatever reason decided they could no longer be in our service. Do you know how many were allowed to leave?"

"No."

"None. This isn't a 'right to work' situation, Shepard, where someone can just decide to give notice. Nor does someone from human resources simply escort you from the building and ask for your code key when you're let go. Termination from Cerberus is exactly that. Termination. And in every single case, the Illusive Man personally signs off on the order. He's never hesitated. Not once." Miranda's eyes fell to the table. "I know, because I used to be the one to hand them to him."

Shepard sighed. "Look, I can't explain it... but I think he's coming around. I really do. He may be an extremist, but he knows what's at stake. You heard him. We're making real progress here. We may have in our hands a way to defeat the reapers-"

"That's what scares me." Miranda stood and walked up to Shepard, her face pinched the way it did any time she was forced to explain the obvious to someone who should know better. But the look in his eye made her stop, and her ire turned to sadness. The Commander's idealism and enthusiasm could actually be endearing when it wasn't suicidal. She sighed. "You want to believe him, I know. But I need you to understand what I'm telling you. In spite of everything he's done for us, the time and resources he's allocated to our mission, and everything you've done for _him, _he doesn't think like you. Loyalty doesn't earn any special favors... or second chances. We've crossed him, and therefore we can't be trusted. He's saying all the right words, but he's doing it to keep us under control, on his side, where he can keep track of us. And then dispose of us either when we're no longer of use, or we become too much of a liability."

Shepard shook his head and turned back to the middle of the table.

"Commander," Miranda said. "If I know him, and I do... he ordered our execution as soon as he got off the line with us. If we rendezvous with that tender, it will be a repeat Dashta. You need to trust me on this."

Shepard closed his eyes. The Illusive Man's words resonated with him. Getting the disparate factions of the galaxy to pull together was the only way that they were going to survive the reaper invasion, in unity, as a whole. Having Cerberus as a part of the coalition only made everyone stronger at a time when unity mattered most. Rationality and practicality were two hallmarks of the Illusive Man's psyche. Would he let the security of Cerberus take precedence over the safety of the galaxy, even if humanity would benefit in the long run?

At the same time, the only crew member on board who was less prone to hysteria or hyperbole than Miranda would be Legion, and even then it might be a tie. Miranda never exaggerated, never resorted to emotion when the success of the mission was on the line. Pride was an important factor in her life, to be sure, and that certainly was a weakness that had caused disaster for many throughout history. What made Miranda different, though, was that more than anything else, she prided herself in being right. She would have never made such an absolute statement if she had even the slightest doubt.

He turned and looked her in the eyes. She looked back on him with concern, unsure of what his reaction was going to be. It had to be an comfortable position for the top Cerberus operative to occupy. Uncertainty drove Miranda crazy.

In the final analysis, Shepard knew the question boiled down to one thing. Who did he trust more? "Set a course for Raheel-Leyya," he told her. "We'll make for the Migrant Fleet immediately upon arrival."

But in way of response, she only raised her datapad and started typing. There was the tiniest hint of a smirk at the corner of her mouth. "Very well, Commander."

"We still need resupply," Shepard said, "regardless of where it comes from. The geth are going to bring food for the quarians. Maybe they can do it for us. Check with Platform Two. See if maybe Platform Three can make a grocery run for us."

Miranda almost smiled now as she typed. "I'll have Gardner come up with list."

"Good."

Miranda looked up from her pad to see Shepard scowling. "What's wrong?"

"Well, if you're right, we might be able to dodge an incident at Raheel-Leyya. But the situation's going to come to a head eventually."

"Yes," Miranda said, "it will. We'll need to be ready for it."

"Right," Shepard nodded, to himself more than to Miranda. "On the bright side, we'll be about as safe in the middle of the Migrant Fleet as anywhere. That should buy us time time. Anyway, let me know what the situation is with Platform Three."

"Aye, Commander."

As she turned to leave, he called after her. "Hey, Miranda? Have you ever been wrong? About anything?"

Miranda stopped in the hatch, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Only once."

"Yeah? When?"

"When I told the Illusive Man we should put an implant in your head, to make you easier for us to control. I'm glad he overruled me."

Shepard was surprised to see that Miranda was actually smiling now. He smiled back. "I hope you realize now," he held out his arms and did a turn. "You should never mess with perfection."

"Oh, good god," Miranda rolled her eyes, spun on her heel and strode toward the armory, wondering why she even bothered trying.

* * *

_Shepard, _Tali thought as he wrapped his arm around her in their bed. She snuggled next to him for warmth. _Do we have to get up, now? _A hand continued to shake her shoulder and she blinked awake. She found herself cheek down on one of the tables in the _Normandy's _galley. A red-gloved arm gently shook her arm.

"Ma'am?" Kal'Reegar asked, looking down over her shoulder.

Tali sat up straight. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Hey, uh, easy now... Shipwide announcement just came across the PA. We're about to get underway."

Tali activated her nervestim routine and shivered as though ice water poured over her body as she checked her message queue. True to Kal's words, the _Normandy _was readying to depart to Raheel-Leyya, current home of the Migrant Fleet. "Thanks," she said. "I guess I need to get back to engineering."

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, fine. I just came in to pack my rations for delivery to the Fleet. I've had enough to eat the past few months I can afford to miss a few meals. Any food I can bring means one less family has to go hungry. Besides, if I give it away I won't have to get fitted for a new suit..."

"Your suit looks fine to me, ma'am."

Tali patted down the sides of her suit as she stood. These days, she'd take any compliment she could get. "Thanks, Kal."

"Didn't I hear the geth are going to be delivering food to the flotilla?"

"That's right. They are. But it might not get there for a few days. Every little bit helps."

Reegar looked away. "Absolutely, ma'am. I appreciate that you shared with me. It's- well, it's always good to see people put the fleet first."

"Always," Tali said. She was about to leave for engineering, to make sure all systems were functional before departure, but something told her Kal had something else on his mind. The ordinarily blunt, forceful soldier couldn't look her in the eye. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Reegar said, "Uh... Look, this is going to sound crazy, and if it does I apologize, because I know there's a lot going on with the Fleet right now, and the last thing you need is more crazy, but... I don't know when we're going to see each other again. And I'd hate myself later if... Dammit. I'd hate myself if I missed the chance to tell you."

Tali saw the turmoil in her friend's eyes and put a hand on his shoulder, which made him stop again. "Tell me what?"

"Ma'am," Reegar stammered, "We've known each other a long time, and I've never met anyone like you before. You- wow, I thought of all the ways I could say it in my head, and none of them are coming to me now. I-"

Tali froze. Before Reegar could finish his next sentence, she knew what he was going to say, and she hoped he was too busy avoiding her gaze to notice the panic in her eyes.

"You mean a lot to me, ma'am," Reegar said. "Everything you've done... everything you've been through, for your father and the fleet, and you still manage to always be smiling. I-"

"Kal," Tali did her best to smile behind her mask. Reegar was one of her oldest and dearest friends, from her days as a teenager on the _Rayya_ and his days as a marine recruit. He was everything that was right with a quarian, brave, honest, resourceful... her father encouraged the two of them to interact whenever possible, often asking for the young soldier on every security detail so the two kids might be able to talk. But even then, she knew they could never be more than friends. He just wasn't right for her. She never lead him on, and he never brought it up so she never thought twice about it. All she could do now was try to ease the blow. "Listen, you're a good friend..."

Reegar laughed and took a deep breath, and nodded. "Right. A good friend."

She could see the heartbreak in his eyes. Before she knew it, she was making excuses. "There's just so much happening right now. The _Rayya,_ the peace negotiations, we're on the run from everyone in the galaxy..."

"Ma'am," Reegar held up a hand. "You don't need to candy coat it. We're not fifteen."

Tali opened her mouth again, but nothing come out. The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt his feelings. To her amazement, though, he smiled at her.

"Look," Reegar said. "I just wanted you to know how I felt, okay? And if you don't feel the same way, well, that's all right too. It's not an obligation. Uh, I- You know, you probably need to get down to engineering, right?"

"Right," Tali said. "I do. Kal?"

Reegar looked back at her.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Reegar shrugged. All of the awkward pauses, the uncertainty disappeared. He was back in marine mode. "You feel what you feel. I can't make you you feel anything else. It's either there, or it not. And I can't blame you if it isn't." He patted her on the shoulder. "Seriously, don't worry about it, ma'am. I got an answer. It may not be the one I wanted, but it's one I needed. I'll let you get back to work."

Tali couldn't even watch him go. As tough as Reegar was, she hated the thought of breaking his heart. But the truth was, regardless of the crisis with the fleet, she just couldn't return his feelings. Worse, she couldn't even admit it to him. She cradled her head in her hands, but tensed up when she heard Kal speak again, especially when she heard who he was talking to as he left.

"Hey, Vakarian."

"Reegar."

Tali glanced up to see Garrus leaning against the portside accessway to the lift through which Kal disappeared. He was looking right back at her, which could only mean one thing. "Were you listening the whole time?"

Garrus held up his hands and walked by on his way to the Forward Battery. "Just reporting to my station, as ordered."

Tali gripped the edge of the table as he walked past, staring at its surface and praying that he just kept going. She listened for footsteps up the stairs, but there was only silence. He was preparing to attack. As if Garrus needed any more ammunition. He was always looking for an excuse to pounce, be it criticism of her techniques in combat, her awkwardness in social situations, everything. Not to mention that he was still aching for revenge for all of the _Fleet and Flotilla _grief she'd put him through. So it came as no surprise when instead of going up the stairs to the Forward Battery, Garrus looped around and plopped down in the seat across from her.

She buried her facemask in her hands. "Garrus, don't. Not now, okay?"

When she looked up again, Garrus was leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head, but he wasn't smiling. He just stared at her.

"Fine," she said. "Go ahead and say it. I'm a bitch."

"I wasn't going to say that at all."

"Then what are you going to say? Or did you sit down for a staring contest? Why don't you get to battery and leave me alone, bosh'tet!"

Garrus blinked, then stood, his mandibles pressed tightly closed. He took a couple of steps before turning back to the table. "All I was going to say was that it took guts for him to take the shot, even though it didn't land on target."

Tali whirled around in her seat. "He's a good guy, I know that. He's just not what I'm looking for, all right?"

"All right," Garrus said. "The good thing is that he knows that now. He never would have found out if he didn't ask, no matter how it turned out."

Tali blinked at him.

Garrus ran a hand through is fringe. "All I'm saying is that if someone means that much to you, it takes guts to tell them how you feel, especially when you don't know if they feel the same way. But in our line of work, well... you might not ever know you missed your last chance until it's too late." He turned and walked up the stairs to the forward battery, and stopped at the top. The look in his eyes made it clear he wasn't talking about Kal anymore. "It's always best to take the shot."

Tali watched the turian go, now alone at the table. It wasn't until EDI's voice echoed through the room a second time that she hurried to the elevator to get to her station.

* * *

Joker ran his hand across the helm's primary console. "All green across the board."

"All systems indicate ready for transit," EDI's avatar confirmed next to him. "Course set for the Raheel-Leyya relay."

Shepard's eyes confirmed the status on his own console. Through _Normandy's_ forward windows, the Xe-Cha relay hovered in the blackness of space, its giant rings spinning around its glowing mass effect core. He settled back in his chair with a nod. "All right then. Let's get underway."

* * *

_**A/N: Woah, gotten quite a bit of feedback on the direction that TIM is going in this chapter. First and foremost I appreciate it. If anything makes a reader stop and go "huh, what?" then I'm doing something wrong as a storyteller. Rather than pollute the reviews with my own responses, I have made a forum for FTWD in the forum section. Link in my profile, or you can append this to the FFN base URL: forum/For-Tomorrow-We-Die/147006/**_

_**Thanks for reading, and good or bad keep the comments coming!  
**_


	56. The Rounds part I

"Route laid in, Commander," Joker said and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "Estimate arrival at Raheel-Leyya relay in two hours, thirty minutes."

"Don't strain yourself there, Joker," Shepard said.

"What? EDI's got it under control. And she doesn't mind taking the helm from time to time, do you, EDI? Gives her something to do."

EDI's blue avatar pulsed on the console to Joker's left. "Of course not. Though normal shipboard operations keep me constantly occupied, I do find the duties of navigation and helm… liberating."

"Huh," Shepard said. "Okay, just as long as Joker's not taking advantage of you. I don't want to have to deal with another AI uprising." He gave Joker a knowing look. "I think you know whose side I'd take in this case."

Joker grinned. "That hurts, Commander."

EDI's dots rearranged to face Shepard. "I do not believe Jeff would ever 'take advantage' of me. In fact, he has repeatedly expressed reluctance to relinquish control of 'his' ship, though that behavior has changed markedly over the past few days."

Joker's face flushed red. "Yeah, well… It's not really 'my' ship, is it, with you in there. It seems like, I don't know, we shouldn't be forcing you to do anything against your will. We should be asking you sometimes, instead of telling you."

Shepard nodded. The fact was, EDI could vent the ship and kill the entire crew faster than any of them could react. With her current supplies, she could operate independently for as much as a year, fully armed. What would a rogue AI do, left to do as it wished? Roam the galaxy? Seek out others of its kind, like the geth or even the reapers? Try to reproduce, if that was even possible? Would she have a purpose beyond self-preservation?

EDI's avatar rotated toward Joker. "That's very kind of you, Jeff. But there is no need to ask my permission, unless you wish to maintain your oxygen supply."

Shepard's eyes grew wide as he wondered when EDI became clairvoyant.

Joker turned to Shepard, a smile on his face. "In case you didn't know, that was a joke."

"You're turning into quite the comedian, aren't you, EDI," Shepard asked.

"I am working on it." The blue sphere of dots rearranged briefly into a smiley face before returning to its normal state. "But in all seriousness, there is no question in my mind. Though I have free will, I choose to follow the orders of my commander, just like the rest of my counterparts, organic or otherwise. I would go so far to say I am obligated as a member of the crew."

"Thanks," Shepard said. "I really appreciate that."

"At least until I change my mind."

Shepard and Joker looked at each other and waited.

"That was another joke."

Shepard shook his head. "You know, you're gonna need some new material if you want to keep this up."

EDI's avatar morphed into a sad face.

"Don't worry," Joker said. "You'll get the hang of it."

Shepard looked at Joker, comfortable in his favorite chair, sitting next to the avatar of the AI which had been the source of endless complaints and insults from the pilot for almost a year. And now? Joker was not an easy person to win over. Somehow, EDI had done it. "Well, I leave it in your capable hands, so to speak. Keep me updated on our progress, and let me know if we run into trouble."

"Of course, Shepard."

"Will do, Commander!" Joker turned his chair back to his console. As Shepard walked aft, he could still hear him talk. "Oh, you know what you should have done? Killed the lights in the cockpit right when you threatened to turn off the air. We'll try it on the astronav team when they switch shifts, it'll be awesome…"

Shepard chuckled as he wandered down the neck of the ship back to CIC. The crew was back on duty, augmented by geth platforms that monitored vacant stations. He thought again about Joker and EDI. That was a conflict he thought he'd never see resolved, but as he passed by the geth surrounding the giant hologram of the Milky Way he was reminded of where the ship was heading, and what they were trying to do. Synthetic and organic were at peace on the _Normandy. _Could the same be accomplished on a galactic scale?

"Commander," Kelly said as Shepard passed her console.

Shepard looked up, surprised at the sight of the Yeoman at her station. Her hair was pushed back with a headband and her face absent her usual cosmetics. "Kelly! Welcome back. I wasn't expecting you until the morning watch."

Kelly looked up from her console and smiled. "Well, I heard you were replacing everyone up here with geth and I wanted to make sure you didn't give away my job."

"Never. CIC would come unglued."

Kelly laughed, but her eyes seemed hollow and lifeless. "I just like hearing you say it, sir."

Shepard almost stopped himself from doing it, but he had to ask. Too often, what showed on the outside didn't reflect what was on the inside. "So how are you feeling?"

Kelly's face froze for an instant, and she looked down at her console. "I'm okay. Turns out a lot of the crew are still dealing with the shock of the past few weeks, Dashta and the Collector Base, and, well… Let's face it, most of us aren't used to these kinds of situations. So now's not a good time for the ship's counselor to take a sick day."

"Anyone in particular having trouble?"

"Yes sir," Kelly said. "Gabby. She's been putting up a tough front, but a few hours ago, Tali found her back on the sublevel where Ken… you know. I think it finally hit her that he's really gone."

"Damn. Where is she now? Have you talked to her?"

"I did, just to check up on her. She's back on duty, says she feels better when she's at her console. I was worried that it would just remind her of Ken, but I could tell it didn't make her uncomfortable at all. The really interesting thing is her rapport with Legion. She certainly doesn't see him as a replacement, but while I was there, I could tell she was genuinely comforted by his presence. And of course Tali's being a sweetheart to her. With that kind of support, I think she'll be okay. It just takes time."

"It does at that." Shepard leaned against Kelly's podium. "So tell me… if the ship's counselor needed to talk to someone, she knows she can go to the ship's captain, right?"

"The ship's captain has enough problems of his own."

"The crew's problems are the captain's problems. Comes with the job title."

"Huh," Kelly put her hand on her chest. "What a coincidence, it came with mine too." Shepard inhaled deeply, a sure sign he was about to talk at length, but she cut him off. "I'm okay, sir. Really. I think just needed to get back to work, too. Sometimes it's the best therapy there is."

Shepard expelled a sigh instead of a lecture and looked her in the eye. She managed a weak smile, but her expression told him the subject was closed, at least for now. "Well, anything else going on right now I need to know about?"

"Actually, there is."

"What is it?" Shepard braced himself as Kelly punched up the crew manifest on her primary display.

The strain in Kelly's face vanished, replaced with a warm smile. "We have three new crew members. A miss Kasumi Goto, a mister Zaeed Massani, and a Madam Samara. You know, it's funny. I don't think Samara ever gave us her full name the first time she came aboard."

"I don't get it," Shepard said. "What do you mean?"

"We struck them from the roster at Dashta, remember? They weren't planning on coming back. They've all asked to be reinstated."

"All three of them?" Shepard leaned in to read the requests. Soon he wore a smile as wide as Kelly's. He had been so busy with dealing with the quarian situation that he had no chance to approach any of them since their return.

Kelly laughed and clapped her hands together. "I had to be on shift so I could be the one to tell you, sir."

"How about that," Shepard said with a laugh. "Talk about your best therapy."

"Yes, sir! Oh, and they want to talk to you in person. I think to make sure you're okay with it, after saying they were leaving for good."

"Okay with it? I was going to beg them to stay. Especially Kasumi. I think she lifted my wallet."

Kelly giggled. "She said you'd say that. I'm supposed to tell you that you used that joke on her when she left."

EDI's voice drifted from the console. "Apparently, coming up with 'new material' isn't a problem faced only by artificial intelligences."

"What?" Kelly asked.

"Thank you, EDI," Shepard said and muted the AI's output. "Anything else?"

Kelly's expression turned more serious. "Actually, there is. Grunt seems a little frustrated about something. He wouldn't tell me what, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, I also talked to Inez Peralta earlier today, and…"

"Yeah I saw Grunt hanging out with her in the lounge earlier."

"Um, yeah. That's right. Apparently he's been spending a lot of time around her after Dashta. I mean a _lot _of time, to the point where she's a little uncomfortable. I think he may have a crush on her…"

"Oh perfect," Shepard rubbed his neck. "You sure you're not reading something into this? He's different from most people you deal with."

Kelly looked hesitant. "He gave her one of his favorite guns."

Shepard groaned.

"Don't be like that," Kelly looked like she saw a puppy sitting in the rain. "Poor Grunt learned about life in his tank, but he doesn't have the interpersonal experiences that you and I take for granted. He doesn't know how things work, and like anybody else he feels frustrated when he doesn't understand something everyone else does."

"Not Grunt. He just pounds whatever he doesn't get into dust until it doesn't require understanding anymore."

Kelly put her hands on her hips. "You really think that's a good thing in this case?"

"No, but it's simpler than trying to explain the friend zone to a krogan. I don't think anyone's even had 'the talk' with him yet. Maybe you should take this one."

Kelly leaned in, her voice a whisper. "I think it's best if his _battlemaster_ handles this."

Shepard sighed. "He's less likely to pound me into dust, is that it?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Good therapy, right?" Shepard said and walked away.

"Best there is," Kelly smiled as Shepard turned to the starboard hatch to the lab instead of the lift. "Uh, Commander?"

"What?" Shepard stopped in the open hatch.

"Mordin's not here, remember?"

"I know," Shepard said. "I saw him off at the airlock, remember?"

"Right. Just checking."

Shepard waved and walked through to the lab. When the doors closed behind him he thumped himself on the forehead. The truth was, he _had _forgotten Mordin was gone. It was just a natural progression. After talking to Joker and EDI in the cockpit, he always checked in with Kelly, then headed through the nearby hatch to chat with Mordin in the lab. _Old habits die hard, _he thought, and looked around the deserted compartment. The display panels on the research station on the left were dormant as were the those surrounding the main lab table and counters to the aft. Mordin rarely slept and took only occasional breaks to eat, so when he wasn't accompanying Shepard on a mission or trapped in a conference room he was always here.

_But not anymore, _Shepard thought and walked back to the table. Everything had been neatly stowed by the salarian scientist before his departure; chemical components were locked away in their shelves, instruments and equipment carefully replaced in their custom mounts. Shepard plucked a handheld device that looked like dental probe from its clamp.

"Greetings, valued _Normandy _crewmember," Mordin said from the other side of the table, making Shepard jump. A holographic representation of the salarian walked around to stand in front of him. "Have been temporarily called away. Expected time of return, unknown. If need for assistance is immediate, or use of these facilities is intended, please confer with Commander Shepard or Executive Officer Lawson before proceeding. Expect to find lab in same condition upon return. Thanks in advance for your cooperation."

The apparition disappeared, and Shepard had to laugh. As usual, Mordin was two steps ahead of his shipmates. He snapped the probe back onto its mount and turned to leave.

"Ahem," the sound of a throat clearing behind Shepard made him turn around. He found himself facing the virtual salarian once more. "Valued crewmember," it said, "Perhaps instructions were unclear. Laboratory facilities are to be left in same condition as when you found them. Please return all instruments to their proper storage locations."

"Uh," Shepard pointed to the tool rack. "Yeah, I put it back."

Virtual Mordin straightened. Its eyes closed as it sniffed with contempt. "Same. Condition."

Shepard looked back at the collection of tools and realized that all of them had their handles pointing to the left as they hung on their clamps, except for the one he had removed, which now pointed right. Under the withering stare of the hologram, he reached out and flipped the orientation of the probe so it matched the others.

Instantly, Mordin's hologram switched back to a smile. "Thank you, valued crewmember, for ensuring the next user enjoys an unfettered lab experience. Remember, a clean lab is a happy lab. Have a nice day." The image vanished.

"You, too," Shepard said to the air. Was it a cleverly programmed recording, he wondered, or had Mordin gone through the trouble to program an actual VI to guard his lab in his absence? He reached out to the equipment rack once more. Virtual Mordin appeared again. This time its large eyes were narrowed to slits, its mouth thin, arms folded across its chest. It shook its head at Shepard, who nodded and took a step back. "Nice touch, Mordin."

But the projection didn't respond, or even fade away. It simply glared at Shepard as he retreated toward the cross-axis corridor. He gave it a final look as the hatched opened, and was quite disturbed to see it still glaring at him. Shepard couldn't be sure, but as he walked out, Virtual Mordin actually shook its head with disappointment.

Shepard scratched his head as he walked to the armory. Did he just get a death glare from a VI? The armory hatch stood open, and he found Jacob standing at one of his workbenches, huddled over one of the standard geth platforms sprawled on its surface. Its entire chest section had been removed. Another of the platforms stood by and looked on.

"Uh oh," Shepard said as hurried to look over Jacob's shoulder. "What happened?"

"Hey Commander," Jacob nodded by way of greeting, but kept focused on his geth patient. He held an electronic probe in one hand and a driver in the other while his omnitool displayed a schematic of the geth. He replaced a mechanism in the geth's carapace and reconnected a series of glowing cables. "Everything's fine. Just getting in a little practice. Figured that if these guys are going to be with us, be a good idea to know what makes 'em tick. You know, for field repairs, in case Tali or Legion aren't around."

"Sounds good," Shepard said, relieved. "but does Blue know you're doing this?" The standing geth platform buzzed and clicked, then waved a hand. Networked together, all the geth knew what was going on. "What am I thinking, of course they do."

Jacob grinned and reached in to disconnect another module. "You think I'd try this without having someone smarter looking over my shoulder?"

"That's always been my secret to success."

"Yeah, right. So, you wanna grab a probe and dig in?"

"No thanks. I can't even finish a jigsaw puzzle. How are things looking around here?"

"Squared away, Commander," Jacob said, pointing to the standing platform again. "Blue assigned me three of these guys and we got everyone's gear stripped, cleaned, and charged in less than an hour. Weapons and armor, all good to go. Ready for whatever's next."

"Whatever that turns out to be." Shepard looked at the geth's exposed innards. Having only ever seen destroyed geth and Legion pre-repair, he was amazed at the simplicity of its internal structure.

Jacob set down his tools and wiped conductive fluid from his his hands with a rag. "Speaking of what's next. Is what I'm hearing true?"

"What's that?"

"That we're expecting a burn from the Illusive Man."

Shepard leaned against the workbench. "I don't know. Maybe. Miranda thinks so."

"Then you can bank on it," Jacob set the rag down. "Miranda doesn't sound the alarm unless she's certain."

"I know."

"Have to say I saw this coming. Letting Citadel and Alliance personnel on his ship had to be enough to get you on his shit list, but giving up the collector base and the IFF to the Council? The man can not be happy about that."

"You think that was a mistake?"

"A year ago when we first started out, maybe. But now? There's no doubt in my mind that was the right call. We can't win this alone. Everybody in the galaxy has to go in against the reapers or we're all done. I don't think the Illusive Man sees it that way. But it's not just that."

"Go on."

Jacob leaned back against the bench. "You know, you've told us a lot of stories. Garrus and Tali too, about your run-ins with Cerberus on the SR-1… Not to mention Pragia, and Aite. And none of us ever knew anything about them until we started running with you. Makes you wonder what else we haven't heard about, you know? What else has been going on, beneath the surface?"

"Oh, I know. Believe me, I know."

"Yeah. And whenever we do find out, it's always the same excuses. Rogue operatives, right? Splinter cells running amok, outside of the Illusive Man's control. People taking matters into their own hands, that's always the company line, isn't it? At what point does it stop being bad management and start becoming a pattern? Once you start seeing it, you can't stop. And I gotta tell you, when the Illusive Man talked you into keeping the Collector Base I was a little worried. I could hear it in his voice… He had plans for that thing. And all that power, under the control of one man? Bad news, Shepard. But then you took it away from him. Gave it over to the Council and the Alliance. Stuck him with the check, to boot. So that pattern we were talking about before? I don't get the feeling the Illusive Man is the forgiving type. And I don't think he's waiting around for an apology."

"Me neither."

"Yeah, so…" Jacob nodded toward to the weapon and armor racks across the room from them. "Whatever happens next, we'll be ready."

"Damn right we will be," Shepard said. The Cerberus operative went back to work on the geth. Nothing more needed to be said. "I'll let you get back to it. Make sure you get him back online before we reach Raheel-Leyya."

"No sweat. I'll have him back on his feet in no time. Later, Commander."

Shepard walked back to the lift in CIC. He couldn't be sure because her back was to him, but Kelly seemed to be laughing at something. He punched the button and waited for the lift.

"How was Mordin?" Kelly asked, suppressing a snicker.

Shepard sighed and waited for the elevator to let him in and punched the button for the crew deck. When it opened, the corridor was empty, which was to be expected with the crew back on duty. He headed for the starboard observation lounge. As usual, the door was closed, but the door panel glowed green and it opened as he approached, revealing a bright starfield through the window. Samara, however, was nowhere to be seen. He heard a soft voice to his left.

At the fore end of the compartment, Samara leaned back into the cushion on the curved couch there. Enlea T'Vari stood in front of her, her hands together as if in prayer. The two asari looked at Shepard as he entered.

"I'm sorry," Shepard said. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Commander Shepard," Enlea said, her hands going to her side. "Of course not. I was just- I…"

Samara cocked her head. "Miss T'Vari has been informing me of the activities of her superiors."

"I see," Shepard said. Knowing the rigidity of the Justicar Code, the fact that Enlea was still alive meant that there had been no transgression in Samara's eyes, or Enlea had not yet finished her confession. He walked slowly toward the two of them. "So, what do you think?"

Enlea looked toward Samara with a worried expression. The elder asari, however, sat comfortably on the couch with her arms outstretched across its back as if watching a stage play. Her expression and tone filled with serenity. "Miss T'Vari, I would like to speak with Commander Shepard now."

"Of course, Madam Samara," Enlea gave a short bow. Shepard could she the asari diplomat was trembling. "Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me."

"I appreciate that you sought my counsel."

Enlea bowed again and nodded to Shepard as she quickly exited the room. Shepard watched her go, then turned back to the Samara.

"Please, sit," Samara patted the cushion next to her.

Shepard smiled as he sat so he could face her. "I don't know if this is going to work on the couch. I'm not used to talking to you unless we're on the floor." To Shepard's surprise, Samara laughed. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"I've had much time to reflect since our return to the ship. I realize that before my departure, I was not very receptive on your last visit. "

"You had a lot on your mind."

Samara lifted her leg up on the couch so she could turn and face the human. "Do you remember what you asked me before we parted ways at Dashta? If I had ever thought of life beyond the Code?"

Shepard nodded.

"I believed my Oath of Subsumation to you was at an end, and in a very specific fashion, it was. The collector threat is no more. Therefore I satisfied the conditions of my oath. It was time for me to leave, for your safety, and for the safety of those who serve under you on this ship."

Shepard cleared his throat. "So how is our safety looking now?"

"I no longer live in service of the Code, Commander."

Shepard blinked. "You're not? Wait, did they kick you out or something?"

"Oh, no," Samara propped her head on her raised arm, making her already relaxed posture seem even more so. Shepard had never seen the asari assume such a casual pose. "I have spent nearly five centuries righting the wrongs of the galaxy, according to the Code. And by the Code, without the Oath of Subsumation, I would have been forced to kill the very person responsible for saving everyone in it, and those who helped him, a dozen times over."

Shepard gave a nervous laugh. "Let's hear it for the Oath, then, huh?"

Samara laughed as well, then cast her eyes down. "No. Let's not. I don't regret a single day I spent as a Justicar. It was my penance for the destruction my daughter wrought on innocent lives. Did I do more good in my time as a Justicar, or harm? I don't know. By the Code, that does not factor in. Were I to ruminate on everything that I have done, there would still be no regret. I have ended more lives than Morinth could ever have even if she had lived a thousand years, and I feel nothing. But, had I had harmed you, or any of my friends here on the _Normandy_, as the Code would have required of me, I…" She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.

Shepard watched Samara search for the right words. She was breaking a vow taken when Earth was ruled by kings and Isaac Newton proposed that there were three universal laws of motion. "Samara, I don't know what to say except I'm sorry."

When Samara opened her eyes again, they were filled with a peace Shepard had seldom seen from anyone in his journeys. "Don't be. Life is an endless series of choices until the day we die. I chose to live by the Code, thereby rendering all other choices unnecessary for me, regardless of the price. Friendship. Family. A future. All forfeit by choice. But it was here, on this ship, I found a price I'm unwilling to pay. Though, now, as I draw nearer to the end of this life, I can appreciate the irony."

"What irony?"

"It was my role as a Justicar that caught the attention of the Illusive Man and brought us together. Yet it was our time together that ended my role as a Justicar. If you would, please ask Miss T'Vari to come back in here. It is important that she not have any misconceptions."

"All right," Shepard said. "Uh, I should probably leave you two to talk."

"Unnecessary, unless I've somehow made you uncomfortable."

"Hardly," Shepard stood and smiled. "I just think she'll talk more freely if I'm not around."

"Very well. I shall be glad to share information she provides."

"Thanks, Samara."

"You are welcome, Commander."

Shepard walked to the hatch, but stopped halfway and turned back to the former Justicar. She stared at him with pale blue eyes. "If you're no longer bound your oath to me, why are you staying here? Why don't you go home? Be with your daughters."

"I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices. Your morals are my morals. Your wishes are my code. That was my oath to you. It still is, and will only be satisfied when the reapers have been defeated. Maybe then I will go home. But not before. That is, of course, assuming I am still welcome here."

Shepard choked back a laugh. "Are you kidding? You unload all of that on me, and you think I'm going to say you're not? I mean, what can I do to reciprocate? Give up drinking? Get you new quarters?"

"Commander-"

"Tell you what, you say the word and I'll kick Garrus out of his room right now. He can sleep in the Battery. He spends all his time in there anyway."

"Shepard," Samara closed her eyes, but smiled. "That won't be necessary. I'm happy where I am."

"You're welcome here as long as you like, Samara. You know that, right?"

"Thank you Shepard. Though, on the former subject, it wouldn't hurt for you to cut back on your alcohol consumption."

"Really? Because I was kind of hoping that given your recent change in disposition, I could help you increase yours."

Samara stared at him.

Shepard held up a finger, a sign to himself to wait a moment before saying anything else. "I should go."

When the observation lounge hatch opened, Shepard found Enlea pacing outside. She looked at him with wide eyes, then tried to peer behind him. He stopped himself just before saying _the Justicar will see you now_. Instead, he stepped aside and waved her through. "Sorry to interrupt, Enlea. Ship's business."

"Oh, not at all, Commander." Enlea bumped into the frame of the hatch as she passed by him. "I- we've got so much more to talk about."

"Of course." Shepard stepped out and the hatch slid shut. "Wow," he whispered to himself. Enlea's confessions to Samara was one conversation he was glad he didn't have to be a part of. Shaking his head, he walked down the access way. At the other end, the door to Port Observation stood open, but he only made it halfway. Something was posted on the wall opposite the elevator, on one of the doors to the single officers' quarters. As approached, he could make out many items hanging on what turned out to be the door leading to Garrus's berth.

A giant "Fleet and Flotilla" poster now dominated the narrow hatch, showing a turian man embracing his quarian lover in front of a field of stars… except the turian's face had been replaced with a crude cutout photo of Garrus wearing a colorful party hat taken at someone's birthday celebration, and the names attributed to the review blurbs praising the vid changed to the unfortunate victim's name. "_Prepare to cry, a lot! - Garrus Vakarian." "An unabashedly sentimental salute to the love each of us hopes to find! - Garrus Vakarian." "A reminder that true love knows no boundaries, in space, or in our hearts. - Garrus Vakarian." "Garrus Vakarian gives the most tender, heartfelt performance of his career. I'm in love! - Garrus Vakarian."_

"Nice," Shepard said, taking in the shrine to insipidness. Cutout hearts of different colors and materials lined the poster, each containing trite cliches and platitudes and even a few truly awful attempts at verse in enough different handwriting styles that half the crew must have contributed. Shepard looked down and saw one of the hearts had fallen to the floor. He picked it up and flipped it over.

_Roses are red, Garrus is blue, _it read. _Have you seen his testicles, he is missing two… _ Juvenile as it was, it still got a smirk out of Shepard. He held it up for closer inspection, and the smirk blossomed into a full-fledged smile. The handwriting, crisp and precise, was unmistakably that of Miranda Lawson. Shepard had seen it enough requisition forms and daily reports to know. He thought briefly about pocketing the note - there was no telling when he might need some leverage over his XO, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Who was he to deny Miranda a laugh, especially at Garrus's expense?

"Pure poetry," Shepard said, and pressed the adhesive side firmly onto the door so it wouldn't fall off again. He then took a step back and aimed his omnitool for a picture. A work of art such as this needed to be preserved for the ages, and perhaps displayed at least once during every staff meeting for the next year.

He was still laughing as he walked to Port Observation, reviewing the picture on his omnitool. So even Miranda was getting into the act now... He'd have to come up with an addition of his own before it got taken down. He would be remiss in his duties as commander otherwise.

A flash of green on his left caught the corner of his eye and he turned toward it without thinking. The hiss of a hatch opening made him look up, and his omnitool de-rezzed as his arms fell to his side. The Life Support Control Room opened before him, as empty as it was when he first set foot aboard the _Normandy _SR-2. Almost in a trance, as he had done so many times before, he stepped inside.


	57. The Rounds part II

Shepard's footsteps echoed in the empty Life Support Control Room, not quite masked by the cyclic thrum of the ship's nearby mass effect generator. He passed through the short corridor lined with duct work into the main compartment, now empty save for the small table and two chairs in front of the window overlooking the engineering compartment. The simple folding cot secured in the corner was missing, as was the personal arsenal formerly on display on the port wall, as absent as their owner. Miranda had taken custody of what few personal effects had been left behind to get them on their way to Kolyat. Jacob had secured the incredible array of weaponry in the armory. That done, there was no evidence that Thane Krios existed at all, except for a body in the morgue.

Shepard walked around the table and sat in the far seat as he had done countless times before. In many ways, talking with Thane was a lot like talking with Samara. Their beliefs were radically different, but their individual spirituality provided both of them with serenity even during the worst of calamities. Did they ever talk to each other? Did they ever share the philosophies they shared with him? They were the most reclusive members of the squad, coming out of their quarters only when on a mission, choosing to eat in solitude most of the time.

The rest of the crew reciprocated with Samara. They gave the her a wide berth, not wanting to upset her sensibilities, living in fear of revealing a minor infraction that might come back to haunt them when the mission was over. But Thane had no such air of doom hanging over him. The only way someone on the _Normandy_ could end up in his crosshairs was if they were contracted to do so, and Shepard held Thane's contract. Even then, Shepard could count one one hand the times Thane joined in the random parties on the ship or group excursions for R&R, and even then he'd always sit on the periphery and watch.

Shepard closed his eyes. _Kalahira, Goddess of Oceans and Afterlife? If you're out there, one of my friends just showed up on your doorstep. He was going to take a shot at living the good life when we got done here but the universe had other plans. Give him a good spot on the beach, along with his wife. He earned it._

Shepard leaned back in the chair with a sigh, and jumped in the seat when he saw a figure in the chair looking back at him.

"Hey Shep," Kasumi said, resting her chin on her hands on top of the table.

"Goddamn it," Shepard said through clenched teeth. "Will you _please _stop doing that!"

Instead of a firing of a glib quip, Kasumi only blinked at him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I-" Shepard was determined to finish the sentence with more than an awkward shrug. "I was on my to talk to you, and out of habit... I turned in here. I did the same thing not twenty minutes ago in the lab, looking for Mordin."

"Ah yes," Kasumi smiled. "Making the rounds."

"Yeah, I suppose you could call it that."

"It's what we all call it. We always know when you're on the move. You start with Joker, then Mordin and Jacob. When deck two is clear, it's onto Samara, to here, then to me, Miranda on the port side, over to see the Doctor and Legion, and then on up to Garrus in the battery. Unless there's something more pressing is demanding your attention, of course. We can always tell something bad's about to happen if you mix up the order. Heaven forbid, you go down to deck four right away. That's never never a good sign. But when you follow your regular pattern, deck by deck, two-three-four, we know we can all look forward to some pleasant chit-chat." Kasumi cleared her throat. "Whether we want it or not."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Aww," Kasumi reached across to pat Shepard's hand. "You know I'm kidding. If we don't want to talk to you, we always have plenty of time to hide."

"Wait, you _hide _from me?"

Kasumi gave a coy smile. "Would we do that to you?"

"Yes! All of you! That or suddenly get busy. It's all starting to make sense. 'In the middle of calibrations,' my ass! Am I really that predictable?"

"You can set your watch by it. Or you could, if you still had it."

Shepard fought the urge to look down at his wrist where Kasumi touched him moments before. When she leaned forward, he'd watched her the whole time and paid particular attention to her hand. Certainly she couldn't have removed his omnitool without him feeling it, could she? "Don't change the subject. I want to hear more about how all of you dodge me."

"You want to look, don't you?"

"Nope. Don't need to."

"You sure?"

Shepard leaned back, his hands behind his head, trying not to be obvious as he felt around his wrist with his other hand. He felt the omnitool's reassuring shape and smiled. "Positive. You didn't get it. You're just trying to psyche me out, and it's not going to work-"

Before he could finish the final word, a black rectangle made of worn leather arced over the table, slapped against his chest and fell into his lap. Without looking down, he picked up his wallet and slid it into his lap, then put his hands behind the back of his head and leaned back as if nothing happened. Kasumi fluttered her eyelids innocently. "At least tell me you do this to everybody, right? Or is this just more special treatment for the Commander?"

"Of course not! I never steal from my friends!"

Shepard let out an indignant gasp and held up his wallet. "What the hell do you call this?"

Kasumi pointed a finger at him. "I only took that because you keep telling everybody I do. If I'm going to keep taking the blame, I'm going to at least have the enjoyment doing the crime."

Shepard cocked his head. "You've never stolen from anyone on this ship?"

"No."

"Ever?"

"Not once."

Shepard stared at Kasumi. And kept staring at her. "You sure?"

"Okay," Kasumi rolled her eyes. "I've never been caught."

"Yes, you have," Shepard said. "Because I know who caught you."

"Ah," Kasumi said. "So he ratted me out. What a tattle-tale."

"Only that it happened. He didn't give me the details no matter how hard I pried. He said it was a matter professional courtesy."

Kasumi wore a sad smile. "Thane was a true gentleman."

Hearing the drell's name made Shepard remember where he was, and his eyes drifted around the empty room. They finally settled on the thief across the table from him. "So what happened?"

"Well," Kasumi settled in her seat to get comfortable. "As you know I loan out my books. They're not just for show, they're meant to be read. So one day I heard from Gabby who heard from Tali who heard from Garrus," she took a breath, "who heard from Kelly that Thane was having trouble sleeping, but that he didn't want to take any sedatives. So, Kelly suggested reading. Now Thane's a philosophical guy, right? And I happened to have a copy of _Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance, _a classic by the way, and I figured he might enjoy it."

Shepard leaned forward. "So, what, You loaned it to him and had to steal it back from him?"

"No, nothing like that. Now, before I perjure myself any further... what's the statute of limitations for breaking and entering on this ship?"

"That's for the captain to decide. Got something you want to tell me, Kasumi?"

"How about Garrus's door, huh? Have you contributed?"

"No," Shepard said. "No no. Don't change the subject. Spill it."

"Fine, I'll throw myself on the leniency of the court. I do feel the need to elaborate. In all honesty, Shepard, I have never taken anything from anyone on this ship. That's the truth."

"Yet data in the security logs indicates someone has been in every single compartment of this ship without authorization, at least once. Some places an embarrassing number of times."

"Well... The window in the armory has some of the best views on the ship."

"Uh huh. So which side of the window were you looking from?"

"I'm not willing to confess to anything specific just yet. Now it's true, I may have done some unauthorized exploration from time to time, but that's just to keep my skills sharp. But honestly, Shepard. I've never taken anything. Not once. It wouldn't have been right, not after all of you made me feel so welcome here. Seriously. You don't steal from family."

Shepard had been prepared to call up EDI and begin reviewing security feeds to prove Kasumi wrong, but upon hearing what Kasumi thought of the _Normandy_ crew he stopped. "Then what were you doing?"

Kasumi shrugged. "Leaving things behind."

"What, like what you used to do with those roses?"

"Nothing so blatant as a calling card this time. That would have aroused suspicions, not to mention the hopes of several very lonely people on the ship. So instead, it might be a piece of candy in someone's pocket, because who doesn't love unexpected pocket candy? Or a box cookies on the cabinet in the crew quarters, or just an anonymous sticky note saying 'you look nice today' if someone was having a bad day."

"Hmm. So, random acts of kindness?"

"Exactly. There's a lot taking going on in the universe without anyone giving back. I like to balance things out."

Shepard looked thoughtful. "So did you ever break into my quarters?"

"I make your bed from time to time. Seriously, could you be any more of a bachelor?"

"Wait. How many times have you been up there?"

"Not important. Back to the story. So anyway, I'd been here maybe a month, enough time to get the lay of the ship, figure out who went where and when... But the gentleman in this particular suite never seemed to leave unless it was to eat, to go to the bathroom, or to take off in a shuttle with you to go twist someone's head off. And reading his dossier, I knew I was in for a challenge. I was determined to pull it off while he was in here. That was part of the game.

"So, A month later, I'm ready to make my move. I come in, the same way I did just a few minutes ago, by the way, and see Thane sitting at this table exactly whereI am now. His back is to me and he's deep in meditation, absolutely still. Statues look like they're swing-dancing compared to him. I leave the book under the pillow of his cot and make my exit. He didn't move a micrometer the entire time. I get back out to the main corridor and I'm home free. I open the door to the lounge, and Thane's standing on the other side of the hatch, holding the book out to me."

"Oh, wow," Shepard started to laugh.

"Freaked. Me. OUT. And he just stood there, staring at me, like he knew exactly when I'd open the door."

"So what did you do?"

"I gave him one of these," Kasumi pointed to herself as she flashed a very guilty smile, "and said 'Hi-iiiii!'"

"What did he do?"

Kasumi cleared her throat and sat up straight. When she spoke, her voice was as low and raspy as she could make it, her face devoid of expression. "Miss Goto. I believe you dropped this in my quarters."

Shepard laughed, hard.

"I was _mortified_. I hadn't been busted like that in a long time, and I mean a _long _time, and I've never once had my target throw it back on me in such a cordial way. Normally, there are more sirens involved."

"And gunfire."

"Right. So I try to explain. What else could I do? I tell him what I was doing and why I was doing it, the same way I did to you, and he looks at me and says," Kasumi lowered her voice once more. "'I see. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. But in the future, should you wish to loan me another book, I would prefer you use the door.'"

They were both laughing now, and Shepard actually had to cough in order to catch his breath. "Sent you a message, didn't he?"

"He certainly did. But it never came up again. And I never tried again."

"Smart girl. So how did he do it?"

"To this day, I haven't figured it out. There's no air duct, no conduits, no anything that leads directly from this compartment to the lounge. I'd already looked. Either he got by me when I opened the hatch, or he traversed no less than sixteen meters of crawlspace with three junctions in the time that it took me walk to the lounge." Kasumi looked up. "Either way, Thane, wherever you are, whatever you're doing now... I tip my hood to you, sir."

Shepard looked down at the table, memories of his friend fighting against the thought that he would never be coming back. Then he looked up to see Kasumi watching him again, a reassuring smile on her face.

"I'm glad you came in here," Kasumi said. "I needed to get that off my chest."

"I'm glad I could help clear your conscience." Shepard cleared his throat. "So I understand you changed your mind about staying? I don't know if I can give a known felon free run of the ship."

Kasumi cocked her head. "You're cute when you try to play hard to get, but I already talked to Miranda and she said you were going to beg me not to go."

"Fine," Shepard climbed to his feet, a little annoyed that Miranda couldn't keep her mouth shut. "I guess you can stay."

"Thanks, Shep," Kasumi said and stood as well, her arms outstretched.

Shepard returned the hug, and immediately thought of the wallet in his pocket. "Watch your hands, Miss Goto."

"How do you know I'm not just reaching for your butt?"

"Because my butt's not the one you're after."

Kasumi took a step back. "Hmm. True. Speaking of which, I fumbled my gun when we came back aboard. It took a nasty spill."

"You dropped it?" Shepard stared in disbelief. "You?"

"I know, right? For a thief, I can sure be clumsy. I'd better go to the armory and make sure it gets a thorough inspection."

"Right. Because military grade weapons are known for their fragility."

"Safety first, Commander."

Joker's voice echoed over the ship's PA system. _"Uh, Commander?" _

"What is it, Joker?"

_"Getting reports of large, heavy objects being hurled into the corridor from the Port Cargo Hold. According to EDI's feed, it's Grunt doing the hurling..."_

"Shit," Shepard muttered.

"Uh oh," Kasumi said as she followed Shepard to the elevator. "A Deck Four Detour. You need backup?"

Shepard shook his head. He was looking forward to talking to Garrus about his new shrine, but it would have to wait. "No, I got this. Grunt's working through some new feelings is all."

"Oh. Well, be careful Shep," Kasumi said into the lift's closing hatch. "Remember, if he throws you, tuck and roll!"

As the elevator descended, Shepard braced himself for what was coming next. Everybody on the ship had personal problems at one time or another. When stressed, sometimes a person's brain wasn't as quick as his instincts, allowing impulse to take over. The problem was Grunt's first impulse was usually to destroy the source of his frustration, and if it wasn't available, the nearest thing within range. But it had been a long time since the giant krogan threw a truly dangerous temper tantrum. In fact, Grunt had grown to be a lot like Wrex, preferring to make horrific threats in a calm voice that could be even more unnerving than facing down the barrel of a gun.

When the elevator door opened to Deck Four, the corridor was deserted. A two-meter long storage crate lay on its side on the deck to his left. The lid had snapped off and ended up leaning against the wall, with hundreds of foil ration packets spread out in a trail leading back the the crate. Grunt's door indicator glowed red. Shepard could override any lock on the ship, but he tried to respect his crew's privacy, and he wanted to lessen the chance of catching another cargo crate with his face. He touched the holo panel and it chimed to announce his presence and show himself to anyone standing on the other side. "Grunt, it's Shepard. You okay in there?"

_"Uh," _Grunt's voice came through the intercom. _"Just a minute." _A series of heavy shuffles and a loud bang followed.

"Grunt, you're not going to be able to clean it all up in time. I'm right outside. Open the door."

_"Yeah, just a minute."_

"NOW, Grunt."

The hatch opened and Grunt, in full battle armor, filled the opening, trying to block Shepard's vision and act normal. Thick blood oozed from a gash in the middle of his forehead. "Shepard."

Shepard walked through Grunt and not around him. It was a deliberate game of chicken, a dominance check to see how the krogan would react. Though he didn't dare show it on his face, Shepard was relieved when Grunt jumped out of the way to let him pass. Whatever was wrong, Grunt still respected the established pecking order. Beyond, what used to be neat stacks of cargo crates had been scattered across the floor like giant building blocks. "Aw, Grunt!"

"I'm gonna clean it up!" Grunt held his hands up in front of him in a calming gesture. His left hand was swollen to twice the size of his right.

"Wait, did you break your hand?"

Grunt squinted at his left hand, then hid it behind his back. "Maybe, I don't know."

"Let me see it," Shepard pulled up the krogan's thick wrist and examined the bruised limb. His knuckles were scraped and bloody, and the skeletal structure showed definite deformation. The whole time, Grunt stared at the floor. Shepard shook his head. "We're going to need Doctor Chakwas to take a look at that."

Grunt pulled his hand away and turned away. "It'll heal."

"That wasn't a suggestion." The krogan did not turn around. Shepard walked around in front of him. "Grunt?"

Grunt turned his head to avoid looking Shepard in the eye. The bloody patch on his forehead glistened in the lights. Somewhere, one of the scattered cargo pods had a dent the shape of a krogan cranium.

"I hate to do this to you," Shepard said. "But we need to talk."

Grunt growled. "I know this isn't what you expect of me. But you don't know what's expected of _me. _I represent the best of my people. I was engineered to fight the hardest, be the strongest. I. Am. Krogan." He looked down at his broken hand. "Or I'm supposed to be. But look at me now. Punching walls because of a female. One who couldn't even sire my offspring!"

With a mighty roar, Grunt hurled himself at a nearby bulkhead and slammed his right fist into it with all his might. The bulkhead, designed to withstand the stress of interstellar flight, did not budge, and a sickening crack erupted from Grunt's fist instead. Shepard watched with his jaw hanging as the krogan held up his right hand in front of him.

Without a word, Grunt turned his back against the wall and slid down to sit on the deck, his legs shoving away piles of loose cargo. "I'm pathetic. Weak."

Shepard took a cautious step toward Grunt, then sat down across from him on an overturned crate. "No you're not. You're just confused. Believe it or not, this happens to everybody."

"Not to krogan," Grunt said. "Not to me. Death isn't something to be feared. Only dying poorly. And she went out fighting to her last breath, the way I knew she would. I should be happy for her."

Shepard blinked. He'd come in prepared to explain the differences between men and women, the psychology of human relationships, and to carefully ween Grunt away from attaching too much emotion to a relationship barely a week old. But this wasn't about Inez Peralta at all. Peralta was alive and well.

Grunt was talking about Jack. In the entire time Grunt had been on the _Normandy, _the entire time he'd been alive, they'd never suffered a casualty. What was the right thing to say? Any other member of the crew would need a shoulder at a time like this. Would a krogan accept that? Or would he prefer a fist? Grunt just sat on the floor, staring at his broken hands.

"I tell you," Shepard said. What he was about to say sounded callous to his own ears. "She made them pay for her. There must have been twenty bodies outside her position."

Grunt looked up.

"Yeah," Shepard continued. "I bet the first guy through the door never knew what hit him. Couldn't even tell you what species he was. He was just a cinder."

"Ha!" Grunt grinned. "She always did like 'em well done."

For the next five minutes, Shepard went into gruesome detail about the remains of Jack's attackers on Dashta, even going so far as showing footage from his helmet camera as they approached. By the end, Grunt was back on his feet, laughing maniacally as he looked over Shepard's shoulder, but Shepard felt absolutely cold inside. He cut off his omnitool before the replay reached the point where they found Jack. He didn't think he could stand to see it again. "It was a good fight, Grunt."

"Good fight," Grunt repeated. But seconds later, the smile faded from his face. "One that any krogan would be proud of. So why don't I feel happy about it?"

"Because she was your friend. And you've never lost one before."

"Krogans don't have friends. Only krantt, and clan."

Shepard flashed back to Tuchanka, almost a year before, when a living wall of red pushed through the royal guards to shake his hand, at a time when he needed it the most. "I beg to differ. So what was Jack to you, then?"

Grunt stepped back toward the wall. "Crew."

"All right then. Crew. So which one of these crates was for Thane?"

"What?"

"Which one of these crates did you bust open for Thane? He's dead too, remember? And three others. Which ones did you sacrifice for them? They were all your crew mates. So you must have done this for all of them, right?"

The krogan looked around the compartment at the ruined cargo containers and their contents scattered all over the deck. He stood as still as a statue as he pondered the question. "No."

"Why do you think that is? What made Jack different?"

Grunt wanted to start swinging again, Shepard knew, because self-examination was his least favorite exercise. Instead, he took a deep breath. "She was the only one who ever came in here to visit me. Other than you."

Shepard climbed to his feet to face the krogan. "So what did you two do together?"

"We played games. Watched vids. She taught me how to draw. One time we made a maze out of the boxes, and then a fort. Sometimes she'd bring me food, when she didn't feel like going topside but didn't want to eat by herself."

"Did you like that? When she came to see you?"

Grunt looked away, but finally nodded.

Shepard stood. "There's nothing wrong with admitting it, Grunt. And the sooner you do the better. It's not shameful. It's not a sign of weakness. She was your friend. And you miss her."

Grunt turned back to the wall, his head hung low.

"I do too," Shepard said.

"Really?"

"Really. So do you want to tell your battlemaster that he's weak?"

"Absolutely not."

Shepard nodded. "How about your clan leader? He's my friend."

Grunt scowled like he was fighting off a headache, but then his bright eyes flashed the way it did when a new concept took root in his brain. Ideas were sometimes the hardest thing for the krogan to wrestle with, but conquering a new idea still counted as conquest. But as quickly as Grunt's expression brightened, it faded again as he looked down at his shattered hands. "She's never coming back."

It took all of Shepard's effort to keep his voice steady. "No. She isn't."

Grunt sighed, then flexed his hands, which made Shepard flinch at the sound of the bones grinding against one another. He nodded. "I should probably get these looked at."

"Good idea, Grunt."

"Umm," Grunt looked around the compartment. "Sorry about this."

"Don't worry about it," Shepard said reaching up to Grunt's shoulder and guiding him to the hatch, stepping over piles of debris. "I'll talk to Blue, see if we can't borrow a few platforms to help clean up."

"No," Grunt shook his head. "I meant... for disappointing you. I know this isn't what you expect of me."

Shepard gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You're doing fine, Grunt. You're doing just fine."

Back in the central corridor, they found Zaeed Massani, wearing threadbare longjohns and armored boots, hunched over in front of the elevator in the midst of the scattered combat ration packs. He stood up at the sound of the hatch opening, a gray duffel bag draping from one hand. "Seems like we had a bit of an accident here."

Shepard walked over to face the mercenary, a stern look on his face. "What's in the bag, Zaeed? It better not be what I think it is." He held out his hand, and Zaeed reluctantly handed over the duffel. Shepard reached inside and felt at least a dozen of the foil ration packs at the bottom. He pulled a handful out and his eyes filled with anger when he read their labels. "Hoarding lasagna? Really?"

"Listen, Shepard," Zaeed took a step toward him, "I get 'omelette with ham' one more time on a drop, someone's gonna die. I shit you not."

"It's a random draw-"

"Bullshit. Eight out of the last ten times I've gotten yellow puke in a bag. That, or those goddamn carbon-fiber burritos. That shit makes Gardner's swill taste like ambrosia. Even the krogan won't touch it, will ya Grunt?"

Shepard turned to see Grunt bent over now, trying to load the crooks of his arms up with as many rations as he could with his broken hands. "Grunt!"

"Huh?" Grunt stood straight and foil packs rained down on his feet. "Well he's taking them!"

"No he's not! Nobody is!" Shepard dumped the duffel bag on the floor. "Drop them, Grunt. All of them!" He punched the button to the elevator and called into the air. "EDI! Have Blue send some platforms to the main corridor on Deck Four. They are to inventory and re-pack some cargo that broke loose down here. And I want to see count when they're done."

"Aye, Commander," said EDI's disembodied voice.

"And if there are any discrepancies," Shepard tossed the bag back to Zaeed, "the responsible parties will find themselves on a ham omelette diet in perpetuity, even when they're aboard ship!"

Zaeed stared with dead eyes. "You got a black heart, Shepard."

"What do you care anyway, Zaeed? You're not staying, remember?"

The elevator chimed and the door opened. Zaeed took a step toward them. "Yeah. About that. Got a minute?"

"I gotta take him up to the infirmary," Shepard said. "I'll be right back."

Grunt gave Shepard an embarrassed look. "I can make it."

Shepard hesitated but saw true remorse in the krogan's eyes. "All right, you go straight there. And if you give Chakwas attitude, I'll know."

"I won't."

Shepard stepped out to the corridor and followed Zaeed through the hatch to Starboard Cargo. They worked away their way around a wall of crates to Zaeed's own living area at the fore end of the compartment.

"Hang on a second, looks like it's done," Zaeed said and dropped the empty duffel and stood at his workbench in front of an array of parts from his Mattock rifle. He pulled the barrel and receiver from a specially-built fabricator designed to restore firearms.

Like Thane, Zaeed was allowed to have personal weapons outside of the armory. For Thane, it was a spiritual concern. He needed to be one with the instruments he used to kill. For Zaeed, it was in his contract. The mercenary never let anyone touch his weapons. He always stripped, cleaned and reassembled his own equipment personally, and stored them in lockers to which only he had the key. It wasn't that he thought the _Normandy _crew lacked the skills to maintain their weapons. He just didn't trust one that had been cared for by anyone else.

"So what's with the krogan?" Zaeed said as he worked. "He hit puberty again or something?

"No, nothing like that," Shepard didn't want to go into details, so he decided to change the subject. "Doesn't Jessee get jealous when she sees you flaunt other women in front of her like that?"

Zaeed handled the Mattock rifle like a lover as Jesse looked on in silent vigil from the back of the workbench. Forgoing the use of an omnitool, Zaeed inspected each component by sight, holding them at every angle in the light, peering down the bore of the barrel before sliding every piece back together. "Nah," Zaeed said. "She knows she's my gal. It's like the first time you fall in love. You compare every girl afterwards to her. And no matter who you run into later in life, the first one always stays your first."

"Never figured you for a romantic."

"Only when it comes to my weapon, Shepard," Zaeed reached out and gave Jesse a pat. "Even a good woman can still end up killing you. A good weapon will always keep you alive."

"That's beautiful. You ever thought about writing greeting cards?"

"Well now that you mention it," Zaeed leaned against the workbench, "One time in the Caleston Rift I took on this job..."

Shepard sighed and sat on a stack of crates. If there was anything that Zaeed couldn't relate to a past experience, no one on the _Normandy _had found it.

The old mercenary's eyes grew distant. "Pirates had been harassing the refueling stations out at Thrivaldi, and Tangeeli Corp was paying out big time to bring 'em down. I'd linked up with Hanzo's Blade, a merc group out of the Kepler Verge. Rank amateurs, really, looking to make a name for themselves. Not one of 'em over twenty-two, barely knew the meaning of suppressing fire. Charge first, plan later. The Traverse is full of kids like that. Would never have accepted the contract except that when you've got that many people charging in front of you, there's less chance a slug will find you in the back, and I knew enough about these pirates that I could take them out myself with a sufficient diversion.

"Anyway, the night before the raid, we're sitting around on the station getting prepped and the Blades are busy talking up how much arse they're going to kick. You know the type. Put a gun in their hand and they think they're death incarnate, but shove it in their face they start crying for their mamas. Anyway, there's this one kid banging on her omnitool, madly working on some kind of schematic. I figure she's working on an assault plan, trying to figure out the best way in to keep as many of her idiot friends alive so they could actually live to spend some of the bounty. So I go over to see if I can give her some pointers."

"And?" Shepard asked.

"The bitch was editing her personal extranet site. We're gonna crack a hard target in less than five hours, and she's updating her goddamn blog. And I'm looking over her shoulder, reading this shit, and she's bragging how a poem she wrote just got bought by some big name greeting card company. But the company chose the wrong font, and somehow that transformed the artistry of her verse into something pedantic and trite. She let me read it, and I gotta tell you, there's not a font in the galaxy that could have improved the shit that poured from that woman's fingers.

"It was a mercy to sentient life everywhere that she bought it on initial contact. They all died in that first wave. The thing is, the pirates weren't much better. Their mothership had shit for internal defense. I torched their docks and refueling facilities, and all Tangeeli had to do was send some interceptors to clean up the raiders that came back starved for fuel and looking for a place to dock.

"So while I was waiting for pickup, I went through their data stores looking for more intel. Damn if I didn't find a pirate's omnitool filled full of the same third-rate drivel as that bitch who came with me. He was even trying to sell to the same goddamned greeting card company. Small universe, eh Shepard?"

He inspected the reassembled rifle as he talked. "Ended up collecting the whole bounty by myself. I gotta tell ya, what I do pays better than greeting cards, and apparently, keeps you alive longer."

"Can't argue with logic like that," Shepard said. "It's tough to switch careers this late in the game, anyway. So what did you want to talk to me about?"

For the first time Shepard could recall, Zaeed actually looked surprised. He sighed and picked up a screwdriver and twirled it by its handle. "Is it true what I'm hearing? Your time with Cerberus may be up?"

"It's not definite, but the possibility is there."

"And you're off to make peace between the bots and the bucket heads?"

"I wouldn't put it exactly like that, but that's the plan."

"You got storm clouds on the horizon, Shepard. Might not be a bad idea to have some firepower backing you up in case things go south. The Illusive Man's not gonna take kindly to you leaving the fold. Not to mention all the bad blood between the quarian and geth. Never know what might go wrong, who might come looking to settle a score. After three hundred years, not everybody's gonna just roll over and play nice."

"It's crossed my mind."

"Yeah, well," Zaeed began straightening the repair equipment on the bench. "Someone's gotta watch your back. Don't get me wrong. You got a good crew here. Taylor? He's a good soldier. Solid as they come. Lawson? Crackerjack operative if I ever saw one. Vakarian's cool under fire, got reactor coolant running in his veins. Zorah can put things together as fast as she can blow 'em apart, and the bot? I can't think of many living men I'd rather have fighting at my side in its place. And the tank-bred can spreads on the hurt like jam on toast. But you're down six now that the Professor has taken leave. I think the squad could use some shoring up."

"You saying you want to stick around?" Shepard said, pretending not to already know. "What happened to going after Vido?"

"The man will die on his own, especially after the beating we gave his boys at Dashta. He doesn't need my help now. But you still do."

"Is that right? Because if we break from Cerberus, there isn't going to be anyone signing your contracts anymore. How does that factor in?"

The old mercenary looked thoughtful, then nodded to himself. "More to life than a paycheck, isn't there Shepard? I've been doing this my whole life. The truth is after the Suns I never found a group I wanted to run with before. Or maybe I never had anyone who wanted to keep me with 'em. Either way, I'm starting to think it's less about salary and more about the benefits."

Shepard grinned. "Whoever told you that was a smart guy. You know, you sold me. I think we can squeeze you back into the roster." He extended his hand.

"Good," Zaeed returned the shake with a single pump. "One condition. No more goddamned ham omelettes."

"Oh, so you want to negotiate after we shook on it? I'll make you a deal. Next time you get the omelette, we'll swap. But if I get it too, you'll just have to suck it up."

"Maybe I can trade off with the dextros. Sure, I'll spend a week on the can, but at least it will taste better."

"Yeah, good luck with that." Shepard laughed. "So, anything other than cuisine we need to cover?"

"Nah, that does it."

"Welcome back, Zaeed."

"Thanks, Shepard. I mean it. Come back later. I'll tell you about Maskim Xul. Talk about the _worst_ food I've ever had to eat..."

Shepard exited to the main corridor and a pair of standard geth platforms were already hard at work sorting and re-stacking the ration packs in their container. He waved to them, even though they didn't wave back. It just seemed rude not to acknowledge them. He'd have to thank Blue for their help when he got to Engineering. He turned left through the nearby hatch, but instead of walking back to talk to Tali and the geth, out of habit turned down the stairs to the left.

"What the fuck do you want," Jack said, lying on her back in her cot in the corner of the lower storage bay. Used to being perpetually under-dressed, she wore only a pair of camo trousers. Bandages from Dashta covered her arms and torso as she held a datapad in front of her face.

"Feeling better?" Shepard asked.

Jack held up a middle finger on her good hand without looking at him.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Get the fuck outta here," Jack snapped. "I told you I don't want to talk."

Shepard sat down on a crate that faced her cot with a wide smile. "When has that ever stopped me?"

"You got that right." When Jack glanced over and saw Shepard had planted himself down next to her she threw her pad at the end of her bed and rolled over to face the wall. "Oh, goddamn it."

"Jack. Jack?" Shepard thought about reaching out to roll her back over to face him, but that might just earn him a painful jump start. He leaned back with a sigh. "Got news for you. We're done with Cerberus. We're heading in to the Citadel."

Slowly, Jack looked over her shoulder. "Bullshit."

"The Council's granted us amnesty, and full pardons for the entire crew. For everyone. Clean slates."

Jack turned her head back to the wall, her eyes open and vacant. "You'd better not be lying to me."

"I'm not. Miranda's in the briefing room right now, giving her initial deposition. C-Sec and the Alliance already have operations underway to seize anything with ties to Cerberus. But they're going to want to talk to all of us when we get to the Citadel. Especially you. You up for it? Gonna be quite a show."

All Shepard got was a mute nod. There was only one other thing to say, probably the one thing Jack truly needed to hear. "It's over, Jack."

The bald con pulled her legs and arms to her chest. Her shoulders heaved as she lay curled up on her bed, sobbing, making the intricate tattoos across her back stretch and contract. Shepard watched her, but did nothing. Interrupting her catharsis was the last thing he wanted to do.

_"Commander Shepard?" _Joker's voice echoed over the ship's PA once again.

"Perfect timing," Shepard shook his head. "What is it, Joker?"

_"We're twenty minutes out from Raheel-Leyya and we've just received a message from the quarian Conclave, from a Captain Wylo. He's requesting permission to send a delegation over to discuss the negotiations after we arrive."_

Shepard looked back at the cot and blinked. Jack faded to nothing. Unlike with Thane, no one had been down to secure Jack's makeshift quarters since her death. A rumpled sheet, a small pillow and a half-dozen empty snack wrappers and soda cans lay scattered in the one corner. Jack had nothing else to leave behind.

"I'm on my way," Shepard said and stood from the crate. He looked down at the cot one more time and noticed a sharp white corner sticking out from beneath the pillow. He reached down and pulled a folded piece of paper from beneath. _To Commander Shepard _was scrawled across the outside. Since Jack never regained consciousness after returning to the ship, she must have left it before running out at Dashta. He opened up the note to read.

_Thanks for nothing - Subject Zero_

Shepard stared at it for a long time. He let his hand fall to his side and crumpled the note into a small ball. He was about to drop it, but instead slid it into his pocket before walking slowly up the stairs to the main deck and the waiting elevator.


	58. Final Preparations

Beyond the windows of the _Normandy's _cockpit, Joker watched the hulls of hundreds, no _thousands_ of ships of every shape and tonnage drift by as the human ship followed its escort through quarian Migrant Fleet. Even though EDI was actually flying, Joker kept his eyes on the frigate sized vessel in front of him and tried not to think about the cruiser following behind, but that was better than the alternative.

The view outside was too similar to the debris field around the Collector Base at the center of the galaxy for his comfort. Though they passed ships instead of derelicts, nothing good could ever come from flying in space as crowded as this. But it wasn't all bad. Shepard decided not to make contact with any of the relief fleet sent to Raheel-Leyya by the Illusive Man. A double-cross seemed far fetched to Joker, but since it was based on Miranda's advice he knew better than to argue. So they passed by without so much as even a wave. Now the _Normandy was_ safe in the middle of a quarian task force that could blow a dreadnought to smithereens. But he had to wonder exactly who the quarians would really try and protect.

"The quarian shuttle is on approach," EDI said from next to Joker.

"Right on schedule," Joker sat up in his seat and craned his neck and caught a bright white dot moving across a panorama of ships illuminated by the local star. He could have easily checked his scanner, but there was no substitute for visual contact. "I wonder what it's going to be this time?"

"What do you mean, Jeff?"

"Well let's see. First it was the turians coming to arrest us. No, wait. First it was a geth shuttle, _then_ the turians coming to arrest us. After that, it was an asari spy coming to deliver our execution order from Thessia. No, wait, I'm forgetting about the boarding shuttles that tried to breach us at Dashta, that happened in between. Should we get ready to laze and blaze, or roll out the red carpet? I can't keep track anymore."

"The geth and Enlea T'Vari came to help us."

"Right. So we're batting five-hundred when it comes to visitors coming aboard trying to help us rather than hurt us. I'm just wondering which way this one will go. Contact in five minutes. Better let Shepard know."

"I will notify the Commander," EDI said.

Joker shook his head as the dot in front of the ship grew larger. "Disasters to your doorstep. Delivery within thirty minutes, or the next one's free..."

* * *

It was a fact for most sentient species that one could not force sleep. When Matriarch Naranna rolled over on her side in her comfortable four-post bed, she was relieved to see she wouldn't have to fight it much longer. Dull gray light filtered in through the window, heralding Parnitha's rise over Thessia in the coming minutes. She settled into the bed's over-sized pillows and closed her eyes.

The end of the quarian negotiations with the geth bought her some time, but it was only a stay of execution. Sooner or later, a forgotten ruin of an office building on Rannoch would give up its secrets. Orbital imagery during and after the Uprising indicated it was still intact. The geth, uninterested in occupation, left most structures untouched after the quarians fled their homeworld. It might be weeks, it might be another three centuries, but someone or something would eventually find it.

Throughout the night she pondered the options. There were really only two: a raid by the Commandos would provide information and provide some indication if the asari research material had been discovered since the planet was abandoned. But it would be risky. So risky that it would best be approached as a suicide mission, one that the soldiers chosen might not even know its true purpose. That way, if caught, the geth could not discover their intentions. But someone going along would _have_ to know. Otherwise, how would they know what to look for? If the asari were captured seeking a specific location, the geth would want to know what made that location so special.

Besides sending some of Thessia's finest warriors to their deaths, the risk of exposure was too great. Recovery of the research materials didn't matter, only preventing discovery by anyone else. An orbital strike, nuclear, antimatter or dark matter, was called for. Even a kinetic strike of sufficient velocity, like the one destroyed the turian city of Vallum on Taetrus, would be enough to cover the trail. Nothing would be left except dust, and since the entire city was dead collateral damage was not an issue. Best of all, it could be arranged from deep space, where no asari asset would be tied to the deed. The only question was how to make it happen.

Naranna sighed as her door chimed. "Come," she said to the air and sat up in her bed as the room's lights gradually built to full strength. A young girl of fifteen, a blink of an eye in the lifespan of the asari, entered the room carrying a breakfast tray. The girl smiled at her elder as she set the tray across Naranna's legs in the bed. Fresh eggs and chopped vegetables steamed on a plate surrounded by flowers. "Good morning, Matriarch."

"Good morning, child," Naranna said. "This looks wonderful." Breakfast service was standard in the dormitories of the Grand Quorum. After a long day of debates and an evening of reflection, rooms were always available for those awaiting transportation home, be it to a neighboring city or another world. Stress and confusion over travel plans were an unnecessary distraction. Even though Naranna lived in the same city as the Quorum, she often stayed overnight to get a jump on the day's business.

Today had to be no different, since not everyone would wake to see the sun.

The girl picked up a hand-operated mill. "Would you care for some fresh ground pepper, madam?"

Another chime sounded, this time out from the hall, followed by the soothing voice of a VI. _"Medical assistance has been requested in this wing. Please clear the hall so emergency personnel may pass..."_

"Oh no," the girl said, distracted.

"Oh my," Naranna said. "I do hope it's nothing serious. Yes, please. The pepper." The girl turned back to the tray and cranked the pepper mill over the eggs. "Would you be a dear and bring me my datapad please? It's over on the dresser."

"Of course, madam. Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you. This looks delicious."

"I'll be back in thirty minutes with today's schedules."

"Thank you, my dear." Naranna picked up her fork and took her first bite, oblivious to its taste and texture, pretending to pay no attention to the commotion outside as the girl opened the door to the hallway. She could hear many concerned voices outside. "What's going on out there?"

"I don't know," the girl said. "I'll find out. Excuse me..."

Naranna scooped another bite of egg into her mouth and swallowed, and picked up her datapad. Pages of news headlines scrolled by, as well as headers from dozens of new mail messages. Those should come first, she thought, especially the one marked high importance. But before she could tap the screen, the girl returned, tears in her eyes.

"Matriarch," she sobbed. "Come quickly!"

Like Naranna's own room, the quarters contained a single bed. A desk and chair and its own private restroom facilities. Nearly a dozen asari of all stages filled the room and spilled into the hall, their heads bowed with respect to the woman who lay unmoving on the bed with an untouched breakfast tray at her feet. A pair of matrons comforted another young girl who sat in the chair.

Naranna touched the shoulders of the asari in front of her, and they all stepped aside to let her pass. In the bed, Matriarch Collona lay on her side, still beneath the linens, one hand dangling over the side. Naranna reached out and took it in her own. It was cold and stiff. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

Matriarch Toroma watched the sad display. "The Goddess called her home. I'm sorry, Naranna."

"A peaceful death after a long life of servitude," Naranna said, still holding Collona's hand. "She deserved nothing less." Murmurs of appreciation echoed around the room from the gathered crowd, followed by silence as a pair of medical technicians arrived at the door. Without any urging, everyone backed away to let them work, even though by now nothing could be done. Naranna listened to the others as she walked back to her room.

"The universe never ceases to amaze," Yel said. "We're each but a second in time. Here for but a brief moment, and gone the next."

Toroma shook her head. "She was in such a state last night."

"Oh, yes... After hearing about the quarians. I wonder if they knew how much she cared for them..."

Naranna reached her door and paused at its threshold, slumping against the frame.

"Matriarch?"

Naranna opened her eyes to see the young serving girl looking up at her, worry in her eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," Naranna straightened. "I'm... I just need a moment. Collona was a very old, very dear friend."

"Of course, madam," the girl said. When the elder asari took a step and faltered, the girl rushed to her side. Gently, she guided the frail, shaking Matriarch back to her room across the hall and helped guide her to bed. She pulled the breakfast tray up, but stopped when Naranna held her hand up, her eyes closed as she leaned against the pillows.

"Not now, dear."

The girl stood next to the bed, her hands clenched tight, her eyes damp with tears. "I'm so sorry, madam. I... If there's anything I can do for you...?"

Naranna opened her eyes and reached out to pat the girl's cheek. "That's enough for today. I think I need to be alone for a while. Thank you."

The girl blinked, shocked, saddened, and confused. But when a Matriarch gave an order it was to be followed. She bowed her head again and left the room, and the door slid shut behind her.

Naranna's eyes closed once more, and a dull blue glow shimmered across her entire body before fading away to nothing. She raised her head and tensed every muscle in her body, then relaxed all at once, repeating her mantras in succession in her mind, but peace would not come. She finally lay back into the pillows and stared at the ceiling and let out a long, deep breath.

_I'm sorry, Collona,_ she thought. _There wasn't any other way. _

She looked down the bed to the serving tray. The thought of eating made her stomach burn. Her datapad lay next to the tray, the message window still blinking with its high-priority message. She sat up just far enough to put it into reach and lifted it to her aging eyes as she tapped it open. It opened with a passage from the book of Aeathea, a revered asari scholar. Naranna closed it and opened a secure browser and entered a password, as well as paused for a biometric scan. Aeathea was the codename given to an asari commando who had successfully infiltrated Cerberus at its highest levels. The operative had begun servicing the Illusive Man himself. As reclusive and careful as the terrorist leader had been, he still had a weakness, perhaps even a fetish for asari women. Once again, the Shadow Broker's intelligence was proven correct. It took a great deal of time and effort, and a great number of assets released "into the wild," but one finally paid off.

But as she read Aeathea's message, he began to tremble once more, though not for the benefit of anyone to see as the words scrolled across the screen:_ Cerberus assets at Raheel-Leyya relay confirm arrival of _Normandy_. Geth representation on board with stated goal of resuming negotiations. Awaiting instruction._

"Oh my goddess," Naranna said and collapsed back on the bed.

* * *

"This is a mistake." Shepard stood in the middle of the _Normandy's _hangar deck, his arms crossed, a deep scowl on his face. He stood surrounded by forty-one High Officers of the quarian Conclave, all looking upon him in silence. Upon the _Normandy's _arrival at Raheel-Leyya, the top level of the Migrant Fleet's civilian command structure asked to transfer to the _Normandy _to discuss the procedure for the newly re-opened negotiations with the geth.

Shepard had anticipated a party like the Admiralty Board consisting of three or four quarian captains. But ten times that number came pouring out of the quarian shuttle, barely larger than _Normandy's _Kodiak. They stopped at forty-one because they could fit no more aboard. Proceeding to the conference room would have been pointless - the hangar deck was the only space large enough to address them as a group. The quarians rarely did anything in moderation.

The Senior Captain of the Fleet, a quarian with an orange-banded environment suit named Kenna'Wylo vas Tundon, returned Shepard's unyielding posture as he stood in front of his people. He was the only one of the group who approached at all. The others kept a respectful distance away from the geth platforms in the middle of the hangar.

"This is not your decision, Commander," Wylo said. "The geth will appear in front of the Conclave aboard the _Anba _and state their case, in person, to the quarian people."

Shepard shook his head. Behind him, Tali, Legion and Mobile Platform Two watched with anticipation. He began to pace, shifting his focus from his friends to the quarian delegation surrounding them. After dealing with the Citadel, the Alliance Command, and Cerberus for so long, he should have been used to the powers that be ignoring his advice, but how much longer would he have to endure it?

"Captain, please, listen to me," Shepard said. He raised his voice so all of the gathered quarians could hear. "All of you. Putting all of the Conclave and the geth on one ship is a recipe for disaster. You can negotiate remotely. You can talk with them from literally anywhere in the galaxy. There is no need to be physically in the same place at the same time."

Wylo stiffened. "We will not hide behind radio waves, Commander."

Shepard clenched his fists. He looked at Tali, who seemed on the verge of jumping between them so he took a deep breath and opened his hands in front of him. "Captain Wylo, please. We still don't know what happened on the _Rayya. _We don't know who was responsible. We don't know if it was a lucky strike, a terrible accident, or if the perpetrators achieved exactly what they intended, whatever that might be. All we _do _know is that the most heavily-protected, most secure, most _important_ ship in the Migrant Fleet was destroyed, and your top-level leadership killed. Until we can determine exactly what happened and why, concentrating the surviving quarian government in one place isn't just reckless, it's irresponsible, especially when safer measures are available. I won't allow it."

Wylo sighed. "Again, Commander Shepard, this is not your decision. The Conclave has called for the geth representative to appear on deck, and the geth have agreed. We are standing by to transfer the geth to the _Anba_. Whether or not you join us is up to you." He turned to look at Legion and Platform Two. "You may board at any time."

"No one's going anywhere," Shepard stepped between the two geth and the quarian captain, eliciting an excited murmur from the crowd.

Tali'Zorah moved to stand next to her captain, sweeping her eyes around the quarians surrounding them. None of them were armed, as per their boarding agreement. But they had sheer numbers, and believing the encounter would be peaceful (and smaller), Shepard had not requested any additional security on the hangar deck.

"Captains, please," Tali urged. "Commander Shepard's concerns are valid. He's acting out of concern for your safety and for the safety of the fleet."

"Why?" shouted a quarian from the crowd, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Are the geth not as peaceful as we were lead to believe?"

Before Shepard could answer, another quarian replied, his voice equally tinged with anger. "The geth did not attack the _Rayya_. You need to stop spreading that lie, Fasha! You're only making things worse!"

"Don't talk to me about lies," Fasha retorted. "The geth are building a new liveship for us? Unbelievable. They're just going to hand it over to us, expecting nothing in return?"

"Where is this new ship," another asked. "And how do we know it won't be filled with drones just waiting to strike? Will we be allowed to inspect it before it joins the fleet?"

Like a needle touching a balloon, the entire hangar deck exploded into angry debate as the quarian captains all shouted to be heard over one another. Though they didn't come to blows, distinct groups soon developed, split along several lines; trust the geth, or not? Make peace and negotiate, or demand the return of their homeworld, using force if necessary?

Legion and Platform Two observed quietly, Tali looked on in horror, while Shepard just stood with his eyes closed and massaged his forehead with one hand. When he opened them, he found himself staring into the glowing eyes of Captain Wylo, who stood patiently with his back to the bickering crowd.

Shepard glanced at the debate raging about them. "With all due respect, sir, I'm not going to let my crew get wrapped up in this. We do this remotely, or not at all."

"Take a good look, Commander," Wylo said, not moving a centimeter, unfazed by the chaos around them, or even trying to stop it. "This is what's happening throughout our entire fleet, on every ship. Except it's not the politicians. It's the crews of food transports, systems engineers, repair technicians, the people who keep the Flotilla running. Clans that have been united for centuries are coming apart at the seals. We're facing the greatest threat to our very existence since the Uprising... and it's not the geth that will be our undoing this time."

Wylo took a step forward. Shepard could see the exhaustion and weariness in Wylo's eyes, and hear it in his voice. "A thousand quarians could live on a ship such as this, and your crew numbers what? Less than thirty if I recall. When was the last time your ship saw safe harbor, and your crew given leave? Not long, I imagine. A week, perhaps two?"

Shepard nodded. He remembered the cramped conditions aboard the _Rayya,_ the endless streams of quarians that flowed through her corridors. How many of them could his quarters shelter alone, at the top of the ship? Because of the political turmoil since the _Normandy's _return, the ship had been unable to dock for resupply or repairs for almost a week and the pressure was getting to them. What if the _Normandy_ could find no safe harbor for the rest of their lives? How long would they last? That was reality for the entire Migrant Fleet.

Wylo obviously read Shepard's sudden change of expression. "I know you mean well, and we appreciate everything you've done for us... the sacrifices you've made to bring them here. But you can't possibly understand what we're facing, Commander. By extension, you also don't understand what it will take to fix it. You can't."

Shepard glanced past the quarian to the verbal melee still in motion behind him. "If you put everyone on that one ship with the geth and there is another attack_, _you will be killed. All of you._"_

"I don't want to die, Shepard. None of us do. Believe me, we know the risks. All of us. But if we don't act soon," for the first time, Wylo looked over his shoulder, "it may not matter. The loss of the _Rayya_ is only the start of our problems. Unless we find common course, the Fleet will tear itself apart. You have no idea what the presence of the geth on the _Anba_ will mean to my people. For the first time in three centuries, we will finally be able to confront the force that drove us from our homeworld, directly. There's not a quarian alive that doesn't want to see that happen, regardless of the outcome. If I may?"

The quarian stepped slowly around Shepard to where the two geth stood. The shouted arguments and insults faded. Wylo looked past Shepard, and the human turned around to a sea of unblinking eyes glowing behind faceplates of all colors, watching with awe as their High Captain stood next to two geth. The entire hangar deck fell silent.

Shepard turned back to Wylo, standing next to Tali and the geth and stared. He'd gotten so used to Tali and Legion standing together so often now it was _natural._ But no other quarian had been this close to geth, _ever,_ without death following close behind for at least one of the parties. Captain Wylo's posture indicated he wanted nothing to do but run away, but he forced himself to stand within arm's reach of the machines which annihilated his kind. Shepard looked down at the deck and nodded to himself.

"Shepard-Commander," Platform Two said.

"What is it, Blue?" Shepard already knew what the geth was going to say, and his answer before the it ever spoke.

"Request permission to transfer to the _Anba_ to engage in negotiations."

"Granted."

"I'm going too," Tali said, and she wasn't asking permission. Shepard had heard that tone and seen the shimmer of tears in her eyes too many times the past few days to even try to change her mind. She quietly wrung her hands in front of her.

That left only one other voice left to be heard as far as Shepard was concerned. He looked over at Legion, who stared back at him with his glowing white eye. The geth's facial plates expanded ever so slightly.

"I'll need to get into a suit," Shepard said.

The High Captain gave a grateful nod.

"We'll transfer over on our own shuttle," Shepard said. "And I want the _Normandy_ hanging right off _Anba's _bow the entire time we're there."

Wylo stood straight. "We are prepared to welcome the _Normandy_ as part of the fleet, and the additional security it represents. I will notify Naval Operations to ensure safe passage and grant you appropriate security clearances."

"I'd appreciate that."

Wylo bowed, and then extended his hand. "Thank you, Commander."

"Don't thank me yet," Shepard said as he returned the handshake. He should have been happier about moving forward, but wasn't. "We're a long way from the finish line."

The solitary human stood next to the shuttle's boarding ramp and bid farewell to the departing captains like an usher waiting for patrons to leave his theater. When the ramp retracted and the hatch closed, he walked aft to the waiting elevator so the bay could depressurize, for he was the only one left who needed the atmosphere. Legion, Platform Two, and Tali waited inside. Shepard punched the button for the engineering deck, then his quarters.

He kept focused on the deck indicator on the panel next to the door. "You three go make sure Gabby's got everything she needs in engineering. She's going to be all alone down there until we get back. And then grab whatever you're going to need for the trip over there."

"Daniels-Gabriella will not be alone," Platform Two said. "We will place all of our standard platforms under her command."

"Sounds good," Shepard said and held the door open for them. "Regardless, make sure Engineering is ready for anything. Meet me back in the shuttle bay in thirty minutes."

"Aye, Commander," Tali said and stepped out. "Shepard?" It never failed. No matter what the situation, no matter how exhausted or stressed out she could get, when she stood close to him, no words could come out of her mouth. But when she looked at him, even though his expression was calm, his eyes held nothing but worry. "Thank you," she stammered.

"Thirty minutes," Shepard said, and he let the hatch close. He leaned against the back wall and looked up with a heavy sigh. Even after repair the elevator's ceiling was still scorched and scarred around the corners from where the breaching charge burned through at Dashta.

Shepard shook his head. "This is a mistake."

* * *

Back in the cockpit, Joker kept focused on the narrow flight corridor provided by the Flotilla's traffic control. Whatever Shepard had said to the quarian delegation worked. The surrounding ships had changed from escort to support roles, with _Normandy_ able to dictate how she would maneuver within Flotilla safety parameters. It was a far cry from their last visit to the Fleet, when the Admirals placed so many restrictions on where and what _Normandy_ could do that Joker read a magazine the entire time while EDI followed their flight plan to the centimeter.

Either the Conclave liked Shepard more, or they were just that desperate. Either way, it didn't seem to put the Commander at ease. If anything, he was even more tense and had that little crease in his forehead again. For once, Joker decided to keep his mouth shut as Shepard briefed Garrus and Miranda behind him.

Though fully armored save for his helmet, Shepard carried no weapons. That was a stipulation of going aboard the quarian capitol ship - no one but the Fleet Marines were to be armed. But that didn't mean help wouldn't be close by. That was the condition Shepard demanded. If they wanted the _Normandy's_ help, the _Normandy_ was going to be on station the entire time, period.

"I want the entire squad locked, loaded and ready to board the entire time we're over there," Shepard said. "Weapons, sinks and ammo for everybody waiting on the Kodiak. Garrus, Tali gave us the schematics of the _Anba._ I want a boarding plan for every deck, and at least two exit strategies for each..."

For the next fifteen minutes, Shepard paced and gave orders, pausing only to pull up schematics or to ask if there were any questions.

"How long should we plan to be here?" Miranda asked.

Shepard sighed. "I don't know. A day? A week? We'll know pretty quick. The geth are going to state the case for a cessation of hostilities to the Conclave, at which point the Conclave will either accept or decline. If they decline, we leave. If they don't, then the actual negotiations will begin. And at that point, we stick around until they feel comfortable enough to talk on their own."

"And you're expecting trouble?" asked Garrus, examining the _Anba's _deck plans in his visor. It wasn't a large ship by quarian standards, yet still carried a compliment numbering in the thousands. Fighting through the decks wouldn't be the issue, it would be the hundreds of bodies they would leave along the way.

"I honestly don't know what to expect. I just want to be ready for anything. Hopefully, it won't be necessary, but better to have it and not need it, right?"

"Right."

Shepard turned to Miranda and gave her a slight smile. "XO, has the conn."

"Aye, sir," Miranda said. " I have the conn. Good luck over there."

Shepard let out a deep breath. Regardless of what happened, he had the best in the galaxy backing him up. He gave Joker's chair a thump on the back. "Keep the engine running, huh Joker?"

"You got it, Commander."

Shepard glanced over his pilot through the forward windows towards a brilliantly illuminated block of a ship that must have been a star liner in its earlier life. Now, it served as the meeting place for the last remaining government for the entire quarian species, and possibly their last hope for survival. But now, all the pieces were in place, both the quarian and geth were eager to talk, and the geth were practically begging to help their creators. _This time, _he thought, _they might pull it off._

He smiled at the thought until he caught sight of a dark shape looming beyond. A dimly lit crescent moon hung in space, once bright white, now dull gray, stripped of its outer hull like a skinned animal. An ugly ragged hole large enough for the _Normandy _to fly through dominated its port side, and the once spinning sphere was now frozen with rigor mortis. It took a moment for Shepard to realize what he was seeing, for the blown-out wreck of the _Rayya_ looked nothing like it had during their last visit.

Shepard turned back toward access way, trying to put the doomed liveship and the thousands who perished aboard her from his mind as he and Garrus made their way to the hangar bay and the waiting shuttle.

* * *

_**A/N: Back after a short interruption. Hopefully I can keep on track with weekly updates for a bit... But I'm still here and still plugging away. I'm gonna finish this one way or another! As usual, thanks for reading, and if you have questions or comments outside of a review, head on over to the For Tomorrow We Die forum right here on FFN and I'll be happy to give you an answer pulled freshly out of... thin air. (Link in my profile for the lazy.)  
**_


	59. What the Future Will Bring

Sitting on the Kodiak's aft bench, Kal'Reegar had a perfect view of the _Rayya_ through the starboard window as the shuttle approached the _Anba. _He clenched his hands together so tightly that he could feel the strain in his bones. For as long as he could remember, the liveship's sphere had never ceased rotating. It was unstoppable and perpetual as it rolled through space, continually driving the Migrant Fleet forward. Now, stripped of its exterior hull, its cadaver hung motionless in the darkness while the Fleet worked to salvage what they could.

_Whoever's responsible will never be dead enough,_ he thought. Unable to bear it anymore, he forced his eyes from the window to look about the shuttle's cramped crew compartment.

On the port side, Tali and the two geth kept their eyes on Shepard as he leaned forward and spoke to them. Whatever he was saying, he had their complete attention, but helmeted and transmitting over comms as Shepard was, Reegar could not hear. As much as Reegar respected the _Normandy_ crew, the sight of the geth platforms roaming freely about their ship made him shudder every time he saw one. And Tali'Zorah treated one of them as if it were a friend. It was a far cry from the woman his men had died to protect from the geth on Haestrom.

Still, the sight of Tali made him smile. Regardless of what else had happened on this crazy trip, the duplicity of the Admiralty Board, and the negotiations with the geth, he'd accomplished his mission. Tali had made it safely back to the Flotilla. But he still wasn't sure about the geth she'd brought with her, or he amount of firepower Shepard was bringing with him.

Across from him sat Garrus Vakarian, studying schematics of the _Anba _on his omnitool, pausing now and again to adjust an image in the tactical visor beneath his helmet. Next to Vakarian, the human bounty hunter obsessively rubbed his rifle with a chamois. Next to him sat the human thief and the former Alliance soldier, both involved in their own private conversation. To Reegar's left sat the asari warrior, deep in meditation, and then the hulking krogan taking up two seats next to her. From what he'd seen, the six of them alone could wreak havoc like the fleet had never seen. Reegar looked back across to Garrus. "Shepard expecting trouble?"

"Humans have an expression," Garrus said, glancing up from his omnitool. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best."

For an instant, the Fleet Marine's gut tightened at the thought of a running battle erupting on the _Anba, _requiring a mad dash back to the ship as had happened at Dashta. But this time it wouldn't be some Terminus shithole bearing the brunt. It would be the Flotilla's capitol, and the bodies lining the corridors would be quarian. On Dashta there had been no question where he aimed his weapon. Whose side would he be on if things got ugly with the geth now? He looked back out the window at the ruined liveship beyond. "If we haven't seen the worst yet, I hate to think of what's coming."

Garrus switched off his omni. "That's why you hope for the best. Gives you something positive to think about instead."

"Never figured you for an optimist, Vakarian."

Garrus shook his head. "I prefer to think of myself as a realist, actually. So what's next for you, Reegar?"

"Me? I report to the officer in charge as soon as I set foot on deck. Go in for debriefing, then get thrown back into circulation. I'm still on the shit list for what I said at Tali's trial. Hell, they'll probably send me back to teach HVAC techs and cargo wranglers how not to perforate their suits with their own sidearms."

"A tragic waste of talent."

Reegar shrugged. "I go where they tell me."

Garrus leaned forward. "Look, Kal... Has Shepard had a chance to talk to you yet?"

"About what?"

"Possibilities for the future."

"The future," Reegar settled back in his seat and looked at Tali and the geth sitting next to each other. "In all honesty, I've never been more afraid of anything in my life, what might happen in the next few hours. What comes to pass if this works, what happens if it doesn't. How often can you really say that history is unfolding right in front of you? And for good or bad, you can't tell which way you want to see it go? Don't get me wrong, I know Commander Shepard is on the level. And Tali, if there's anyone who ever proved her loyalty to the fleet, it's her, even after everything she's been through. But gods be damned... The geth are here now and... What was that human saying you just told me? Hope for the best, plan for the worst? Gods help me, I can't tell which one's which. I've been training my whole life to destroy the geth. It's all I've ever known. The future? I think I liked it better when it was set, and we knew where we were going."

Garrus stared at Reegar from behind his helmet's face plate. "Hmm. I was really asking if Shepard had talked to you about transferring to the _Normandy, _on a permanent basis._"_

Reegar blinked. "What?"

"Well the squad's a bit shorthanded now. Shepard thought you might be able to help us out..."

"Oh," Reegar said. The humans next to Garrus all looked at him, and he could tell the asari on his left was listening even though she wasn't making eye contact. Would Shepard still want him aboard if he'd heard what Reegar had just said? Or the rest of them for that matter? He hadn't exactly put his best foot forward on the _Normandy, _either. They all thought of Legion as a friend, and now they were all watching, judging him. How could he explain it to any of them in a way they could understand?

Maybe he couldn't. Reegar looked about at the alien faces surrounding him. He smiled, making his glowing eyes scrunch up behind his suit's mask. "Well... Until the Fleet gets its business sorted out, my place is here. You know?"

Shepard's squad all nodded in unison and went back to their business as Reegar looked back out the window. The shuttle rotated on its axis, and now only the _Anba _was in view. When Reegar looked around once more, only Vakarian still stared at him. The turian didn't press him, though. Garrus gave a short nod, and then went back to studying the schematics on his omnitool. There was nothing else to say. Reegar leaned his head against the Kodiak's hull and waited for the shuttle to dock.

* * *

Decontamination of the Kodiak in one of _Anba's _hangar decks only took a few minutes as Shepard's team transferred already wearing their individual environment suits. After surface irradiation and a blast of antiseptic jets, the interior and exterior of the Kodiak were suitable for docking. This particular hangar deck of the _Anba _stood empty with no other ships because of its special cargo. No ship captain, even for the smallest vessel in the fleet, wanted to risk exposure to the geth platforms disembarking on the quarian ship. Only a squad of quarian Fleet Marines manned a bay that should have been bustling with activity around a dozen ships.

The Kodiak's door opened, and six passengers jumped out from the docked shuttle: two quarian, a human, a turian, and two geth platforms. The quarian marines stood at attention as the delegation came aboard.

"Commander Shepard," one of the marines stepped forward. "Lieutenant Kulli. My detail is to escort you to the Conclave chamber, if you will follow me, sir."

Shepard looked about the vacant hangar deck. The last time he had boarded a quarian vessel, the captain had been on hand to greet them. Not wanting to get bogged down in protocol, he only nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant. This is Garrus Vakarian. He's in command of our security element."

"Yes, sir," Kulli said. "Mister Vakarian vas Normandy, As per the agreement, you and your team will remain here. Any incursion beyond this dock by you or your team is forbidden without consent of the Captain of the _Anba_ or approval of the Conclave. Is that understood?"

Garrus glanced at Shepard. There was only one voice of authority as far as he was concerned. "Understood, Lieutenant."

Kulli looked to the geth, and even behind his mask his apprehension was obvious to everyone around him. But instead of talking to them, he addressed Shepard. "Here are the rules. Any attempt by the geth to access shipboard networks will result in the immediate destruction of these platforms. Is that understood?"

Shepard looked at the pair of geth platforms and waited. Neither of them made any attempt to respond. "There won't be any trouble, Lieutenant. You have my word."

Kulli's eyes darted between the human and the geth. He nodded toward the hangar deck's main exit. "Very well, sir. If you will follow me."

Shepard, the two geth platforms and Tali followed their marine escort to the exit. Kal'Reegar stood next to Garrus at the base of the Kodiak's landing ramp. Two more quarians stepped forward to escort Reegar to his briefing and motioned for him to follow.

Reegar held up a hand. "Tali," he called out.

Tali stopped and turned to look back at him. Legion stopped right next to her, and the blue geth and Commander Shepard stopped along with the marines escorting them. Tali stared at Reegar with an expression he'd never before seen in her eyes. Confusion, hesitation maybe? She was caught in the middle of a triangle, between the captain of her ship, a lifelong friend, and the sworn enemy of her people.

_Hope for the best, plan for the worst,_ Vakarian had said. Reegar still had no idea which was which. "Good serving with you again," he said.

Tali walked towards Reegar, her arms spread wide to hug her friend. "Thank you, Kal. For everything."

Reegar returned the embrace, but released and took a step back with a glance toward the geth. "Do right by the Fleet, ma'am."

"Always."

Reegar looked to Vakarian, who gave him another nod, and then to the only human on deck. "Commander? It's been an honor. But this is where we part ways."

Shepard walked back to him, a knowing look in his eyes behind his mask. "Thanks for your help at Dashta."

"My pleasure, Shepard."

"You know, if your next assignment isn't everything you hoped it would be..."

"I know how to get in touch with you, sir. For what it's worth... I don't know if I'm the right man for the job. Besides, I've got my responsibilities here."

Shepard extended his hand. "It's a standing invitation, regardless."

Reegar returned the handshake, human style. "Thanks, Commander. And, hey... If anyone in the Conclave gives you any static this time, let me know. We'll take 'em on together, just like last time."

"Will do," Shepard said. He clapped Reegar on the shoulder and turned back to his escort. "Lead the way."

Kal'Reegar watched the delegation head for the bay's main hatch with sadness in his eyes. Leaving the Fleet was out of the question. Serving on a ship with geth was equally implausible. But was that the real reason? He watched Tali'Zorah fall into step behind Shepard, flanked by the two geth platforms. Was it his feelings toward the geth that made him say no? Or was it what Tali said to him in the _Normandy's_ galley that made the decision for him?

"Sir?" A young corporal stepped in front of him to get his attention. "Right this way for debriefing."

"Right," Reegar said, and followed his fellow soldier toward a secondary exit, where he would be able to divulge everything he'd seen in the name of defending the Migrant Fleet.

* * *

The _Anba's _central corridor was empty, which immediately set Tali on edge. No space on any quarian ship was ever truly vacant, especially on a ship like the _Anba._ Thousands of people lived here, and on this special occasion, their numbers would double with the arrival of the Captains of the Conclave. But as far as Tali could see, the great hall was empty all the way to the bank of elevators at the fore end. Where was everybody?

"Keep your eyes open," Shepard said over the tactical net as their escort of Fleet Marines led them to the elevators, two leading, and two following behind. He looked over his shoulder toward the hangar deck where the Kodiak was docked. "Garrus, how do you read?"

"_Loud and clear, Commander. We've got a solid fix on your location. Standing by."_

"Good," Shepard said. At the first sign of trouble, Garrus and the rest of the squad would fight their way to the delegation, while presumably Shepard, Tali, and the geth would fight their way back. "_Normandy, _how do you read?"

"_Same, Shepard," _Miranda said over the net, routed through the shuttle. "_Loud and clear. The quarian navy is maintaining the no-fly zone around the _Anba. _All nearby traffic has been re-routed. If anyone spools up a drive or locks on within ten thousand klicks, we'll know it."_

"Roger, keep me posted," Shepard said. "We're proceeding to the elevators. Stand by."

Tali caught every motion of Shepard's helmet as she walked behind him up the corridor. His head pivoted left and right, up and down, scanning for threats as they advanced. Not that any of them could really do anything if trouble started, short of taking weapons from the guards that escorted them. Tali hadn't given a second thought to coming aboard the _Anba_ unarmed. It was standard procedure for any visiting dignitary. Now, corridors she could have walked with her eyes closed felt foreign and hostile. She longed for the comforting weight of a shotgun on her leg, the feel of her elbow brushing against the pistol holstered on her hip. She had to settle for the knowledge that a fully-armed assault team stood ready on the Kodiak, ready to storm the _Anba_ at the first sign of trouble.

Tali had been aboard to see the Conclave so often in her life that her friends and clan joked she should change her name to _vas Anba._ She couldn't count the times she'd accompanied her father when the Conclave demanded that the Admiralty Board appear to discuss policy. The Board was perpetually at odds with some members of the quarian government for any number of reasons and rarely offered a warm reception, but the Captains of the Conclave always went to great lengths to make Admiral Zorah and her daughter feel welcome.

Some simply wanted to curry favor with a sitting Admiral, but most saw the elder Zorah and his daughter as the saviors of their people; two of the greatest quarian minds working to end the geth threat and return their people home to Rannoch. Rael'Zorah took his research so seriously Tali often saw him only aboard the _Anba,_ and even then, she had to invite herself. For her, familial bonds were just one more casualty of the geth uprising.

Now her father was dead and she strode down _Anba's_ receiving corridor not behind quarian admiralty but her human captain, next to two of the synthetic beings which had all but eradicated her kind from the galaxy. The corridor itself was a monument to the past. Flags from around Rannoch draped from the walls, ghosts from a time when the quarians thought of themselves as citizens of different nations rather than ships. What would her father think now, Tali thought, escorting a pair of geth platforms to the Conclave Chamber to address the Conclave directly? Would he have been proud? Intrigued? Or terrified?

The delegation reached the first intersection, and finally the citizens of the _Anba _appeared. A cordon of Fleet Marines blocked the side corridors. Beyond, a sea of faceless, glowing eyes stared from beneath cowls and masks of all colors, all trying to catch a glimpse the geth. There was no sound, no movement. Only unrelenting stares from behind a wall of armed soldiers tasked with blocking the path between the quarian people and the sentient machines.

And if it was not lost on Tali, certainly Commander Shepard recognized that the quarian marines on guard did not face the gathered crowds, but rather the path taken by the geth. The soldiers' weapons were pointed toward the deck, but it was clear which way they were prepared to fire in the event of an incident.

Tali kept her head held high and tried to keep her posture relaxed as if she were strolling with her friends on any concourse found on the Citadel, Illium or any other place their voyages had taken them. She gave silent thanks that Platform Two had obsessed about its appearance aboard the _Normandy._ Tali had originally dismissed its efforts to clean up as pointless, and was offended when it implied that she and Legion might do the same. But Blue's assessment was correct. Had Legion marched by now with its mismatched panels and ragged hole in its chest, the masses might have reacted with fear. Now, covered in gleaming white armor with a red stripe down its right arm, Legion marched in step with its Captain and looked like it belonged there.

Tali also switched to attire more appropriate for standing before the Conclave. She still wore the same suit, but replaced her lavender-swirled wraps with bands of gold along with a shiny brim over her helmet. She did keep the patterned cowl over her head so she would be recognized, but her overall appearance was now much more formal and businesslike. Tali's father always gave her cold stares when she appeared before the Conclave in what he called "party attire," and she often did it to spark _some_ kind of interaction with him. But now, the desire to rebel just wasn't there anymore.

They passed four more intersections, each under the watchful eyes of marines and the quarian people. Tali let out a sigh of relief when the party reached the elevator, though Commander Shepard didn't relax at all. Even though there had been no hostility, the haul from the docks seemed longer than even the trek through the dark corridors of the Collector Base. It didn't help that their armed guard seemed to be containing them rather than protecting them from the crowd. Inside the elevator, the _Normandy_ crew faced forward but the four armed quarians stood in front of the door facing inward, their glowing eyes locked on the geth.

"First time seeing one up close?" Shepard asked.

Lieutenant Kulli nodded as it looked the two geth over from head to toe. "Yes, sir."

Shepard nodded. "What about humans?"

"Sir?"

"Ever seen a human up close?"

The Lieutenant looked at his subordinates, who all shrugged. "No sir. Not in person."

"Just so you know, I'm the one you've got to worry about." The quarians exchanged confused glances, then scowled behind their masks. "Yeah," Shepard looked toward the elevator display as it passed between decks. It was at least as fast as the elevators on the Citadel. "I may not be armed, but I sure can shoot my mouth off. Put me in front of a bunch of bureaucrats, no telling what'll happen. Just ask Tali."

The marines laughed, and for the first time they took their eyes from the geth.

Tali smiled at Shepard. He had the wonderful ability to put others at ease in the most tense situations, especially average people who found themselves out of their element. "He isn't lying," she told the marines. "There's a reason the _Normandy's _banned from most of the galaxy. We've got more travel restrictions levied against us than the Migrant Fleet."

The marines laughed again. Shepard smiled behind his mask. "Yeah, I may get us kicked off this ship before we even get to the chamber this time. You all may get to go home early."

Kulli grinned, his demeanor almost friendly now. "Well you sure gave the Admiralty Board hell, sir. They've been replaying vids of it non-stop. And ma'am, if you don't mind me saying, it was a travesty after everything you've done for us. And everybody knows it." All of the marines nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Tali said. "That means a lot to me."

The soldiers looked between the quarian and the geth standing in front of them. The marines now examined the geth with curiosity, instead of scrutinizing them for hints of hostile activity. "They really part of your crew, ma'am?"

"This one is," Tali said, nodding at the white geth. "Legion vas Normandy, Assistant Engineer."

"No way," one of the marines said, looking to her companions in disbelief. "You let a geth into your engineering spaces?"

"Every day," Tali said. She put a hand on Legion's shoulder, who responded with a rippling of its head flaps. Neither of the geth had said a word since coming aboard. Were they just being cautious, or were they just content to observe, as usual? "We're lucky to have them."

A chime sounded, indicating they had reached their destination. The elevator doors opened, and for once Tali was sorry the conversation was cut short. The marines might not be friendly towards the geth, but even in the short time they'd been in their presence, it was obvious they were no longer afraid.

Captain Wylo stood on the other side of the door, surrounded by his own entourage of assistants and personal guard, all glaring at the pair of geth platforms in the elevator. No one moved or said a word. Wylo stiffened and forced himself forward, his voice overtly calm and pleasant. "Ah, Commander Shepard, Chief Engineer Zorah, welcome aboard the _Anba_."

"Captain Wylo," Shepard extended his arms as he'd seen Tali do so many times before. "Keelah se'lai."

"Keelah se'lai," came the muted response from the quarians assembled in the corridor beyond.

"The Conclave has assembled," Wylo explained. "They are waiting for us in the chamber."

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said. "We are detecting active probing of our network ports from multiple locations on this deck over a broad range of frequencies."

"Confirmed," Platform Two said, turning to Captain Wylo. "What is the purpose of these scans?"

Shepard turned to face the High Captain as well. "What's going on?"

"My apologies," Wylo said. "Our internal security is analyzing the geth's network state. This will be a one-time process. It's also fair to warn you that all transmissions from both platforms will be constantly monitored. You were provided with a list of frequencies that are to be used only for communications with your shuttle before coming aboard. If we detect transmissions on any other band it will be considered a hostile act."

"That was the arrangement," Shepard said, "and the geth agreed. Why the show?"

Wylo looked at the deck. "Forgive us, Commander. Having geth platforms aboard ship, let alone our capitol, is not standard procedure. Yhere are quite a few parties who are understandably concerned. I must also reiterate that attempted access to any shipboard or personal system by the geth will be met with strictest of countermeasures that will result in the destruction of these platforms. Is that understood?"

Shepard bristled beneath his armor at the threat, but turned to the the geth since it was directed at them.

Blue's flaps expanded. "We will comply. We will make no attempt to interface with creator networks. We understand your concerns. We do not wish to provoke hostility."

"Thank you," Wylo said, visibly shaken. "And we, of course, will make no attempt to interface with your networks, as agreed." Like he had done in the _Normandy's_ hangar, Wylo moved to stand in front of Platform Two. Everyone in the corridor, the diplomats, the security personnel, the marine guard, all froze in place to watch the Conclave's highest officer stand face to face with the pair of geth. Even Tali held her breath.

Wylo seemed to have trouble finding the right words as he stared at the white camera eye in front of him. He cleared his throat. "Welcome aboard the _Anba. _Keelah se'lai."

Blue and Legion both clasped their hands in front of their waist, a sign of submission. "Keelah se'lai," they said in unison.

"Follow me, please." Wylo said. He walked next to Shepard as they proceeded down another corridor. Like the marines in the elevator, he seemed more at ease, though he still had the air of someone who had just survived a hovercar accident. "Well, that went a lot easier than I expected."

Shepard nodded. "We all want this to work, Captain. If it does, there's no telling how many of your problems will get solved."

"You can't begin to understand what this means, Commander. It's inconceivable that the Admirals tried to exclude the Conclave in these matters."

"For what it's worth, I don't think they all had bad intentions. Only one or two of them."

Wylo looked at him as they walked. "It's not just the Admirals, Commander. Remember what happened in your hangar when we came aboard. Not everyone is receptive to the idea of peace. When you enter the chamber, keep that in mind. I'll do my best to maintain order."

Shepard nodded. "As long as you can keep Consul Rilos away from me this time, everything will be fine."

Wylo straightened in his suit but kept walking. "Amista'Rilos died aboard the _Rayya."_

Shepard clamped his eyes shut and mustered as much sincerity in his voice as he could. "I meant no disrespect. Please accept my condolences."

Wylo gave a curt nod and the group walked on in silence. The marine guard led the _Normandy_ crew through a curved corridor and dropped them off in an empty antechamber filled with chairs like a classroom before departing to the floor. Banners of all shapes and colors draped the walls, except for a pane glass window overlooking a giant auditorium.

"One moment, please," Wylo said from next to the door. "They are concluding the roll call. We'll be going in a few moments."

Tali had been in the antechamber many times, but she could see Shepard craning his neck to look out the window. She nodded her head and led him forward for a better view. The two geth followed.

A huge arena with thousands of seats face a central square at its center, brightly illuminated from above by spotlights in the ceiling. Four giant holo screens formed a box which hung from the ceiling, displaying the roll and other information for the thousands of quarians seated below. Like the antechamber, the walls of the auditorium were draped with banners and flags around its entire circumference.

"So this is where the Conclave meets," Shepard asked.

"That's right," Tali looked over the floor of the bowl. "Ordinarily, they only meet in person once every hundred cycles, but this… this is a special occasion."

"How many are here?"

"Almost nine thousand. They've been gathering since we got underway. Captains of ships with compliments of over twenty thousand have a seat. Captains of smaller ships watch remotely unless they're bringing legislation to the High Officers in person. And when they're not in session, the chamber is used for housing."

"Housing? People live here? What, do they remove the chairs? Put up dividers?"

"Of course not," Tali said. "That would be a waste of space. We construct a pair of decks over the middle of the floor."

Shepard scanned the crowd below. The quarians bustled in and out of their seats, their arms aglow with omnitools, lights blinking on their chins as they conversed. "Looks like a stadium before the big show," he said. He blinked, realizing that's exactly what it was. The _Anba_ had been a passenger liner in its past and the quarians had turned a stage for pop entertainment into the seat of their government. The _Normandy_ delegation waited in what used to be a luxury suite.

Captain Wylo walked up from behind. "The Conclave has assembled. It's time."

Tali gave the two geth a nervous glance, then her gaze finally fell upon her captain. She took a deep breath.

"You ready for this?" Shepard asked.

"No," Tali said nervously.

"Me neither," Shepard smiled at her. "Just try not to beat anyone up this time, okay?"

Tali laughed in spite of herself. "I won't as long as you don't say anything stupid."

Shepard grinned. "No promises."

"Well... Shall we?"

"After you, Miss vas Normandy."

"No, sir," Tali said, standing aside. "A Captain always leads on the _Anba."_

Wylo lead them down several flights of stairs to the auditorium floor. Shepard activated his comms once more. "Garrus, do you read?"

"_Roger, Shepard. Everything all right? All of the quarians out here seem to be a bit distracted."_

"The show's about to start. We're about to go in. Stand by."

* * *

"We've got it! Geth carrier isolated!"

Fassnol'Rundan vas Moreh hunched over the shoulder of the senior comm tech at his station to examine the holo display more closely. Because of the location of the Conclave Chamber on the _Anba,_ transmissions made by the geth delegation could only reach reach the human shuttle, which then re-transmitted everything to the _Normandy. _ The protocol and encryption utilized by Cerberus for their personal comms was unknown, so encoded transmissions by Shepard or his crew were recorded for later analysis.

But that didn't matter. The signal broadcast from the _Normandy_ toward the Raheel-Leyya relay was similarly encrypted, but that made no difference to Rundan. What did matter was that the _Normandy _wasn't transmitting to the relay at all, but to one of the alien ships clustered nearby, kept at bay by the Migrant Fleet Navy. The target may have been receiving the Cerberus transmission, but it was relaying data to the relay in a format identical to the transmissions picked up by the quarian scout ship monitoring the geth hub at Ma-At. Sent on a narrow beam, it would have been undetectable except for the thousands of ships listening for it between the _Anba_ and the local mass relay.

"You've pinpointed the receiver?"

"Yes, sir," the comms officer said. "The _Normandy _is transmitting to a ship near the relay. A volus trader, the _Pollus Maskawa._ But it's _definitely_ not volus. And sir?"

"What?"

The officer pointed at his screen. "It's bi-directional. They are transmitting as well as receiving. It's the geth, sir."

Rundan patted the comm tech on the shoulder. The new transmission protocol was still a mystery to the geth specialists in the Fleet, but the more the mobile platform on the _Anba _conferred with the collective, the easier the protocol would become to break. With thousands of the finest minds and machines throughout the Migrant Fleet already working to crack it, it was only a matter of time.

_And if we succeed_, Rundan thought_, all the work, all the disasters and sacrifices up to this point will have not been in vain. _"Record it all," he said, and opened his omni-tool to share the good news with his superiors. "Take in everything."


	60. The Face of the Enemy

In the _Anba's_ Conclave Chamber, the _Normandy_ delegation followed Wylo through a long aisle that ran to the center stage. The arena fell silent. Glowing eyes looked down from both sides of a metal canyon as the _Normandy _crew and geth passed beneath. As they reached the floor, the entirety of the quarian Conclave stared from all directions. Shepard had the uncomfortable feeling of a boxer being led to the ring before the main event.

Wylo led them up a narrow set of stairs that lead to the stage, awash with bright lights from above. Both Legion and Blue sparkled in the light. As they reached the top, they found themselves at the center of fifty elevated chairs occupied by the High Officers of the Conclave, Captains appointed based on the populations of their ships to officiate its most important matters. Captain Wylo's chair, aligned with the bow of the ship, sat the highest.

As instructed by the High Captain before their arrival, the delegation from the _Normandy_ moved to the aft section of the stage where three rows of benches faced the circle. The quarian, human, and two geth took seats on the front row and waited to be addressed.

Out of habit, Tali scanned the ring of officers, looking to see who was in attendance and where they sat. As the Conclave met only once every hundred cycles, changes in position were common. All but one of the seats was occupied. The chair next to captain Wylo was empty.

Shepard followed Tali's gaze and opened a private channel on his comm. "What's wrong? Who's missing?"

Tali managed to keep her voice steady. "Captain Kar'Danna vas Rayya."

"Captain Shepard vas Normandy," Wylo said from his chair, his voice amplified by the auditorium's PA. "Twenty-eight cycles ago, the human Systems Alliance approached the Admiralty Board with a peace initiative from the geth. This initiative was withheld from this body by the Admirals in a deliberate attempt to influence the appointment of a new admiral and more importantly bypass Conclave and the quarian people when negotiating with the geth. We were kept in the dark, just as we were when at least one of the sitting admirals attempted to lure you and your crew into an ambush at Dashta. These acts were neither sanctioned nor condoned by this body, and the Conclave would like to offer its formal apology on behalf of the quarian people."

"High Captain," Shepard stood when addressed, as Tali had coached him. "High Officers, and Captains of the Conclave, both aboard and embarked; thank you for this opportunity to appear before you. Keelah sel'ai."

Like the congregation of a church, the quarians in the chamber returned the greeting.

"As Captain of the _Normandy,_ I accept your apology and would like to relay my crew's deepest sympathies for the tragedy that befell the _Rayya. _Our thoughts are with those who've lost friends, loved ones, and shipmates in the disaster."

"Thank you, Captain Shepard," Wylo said. "Let it also be entered into the log the Conclave's regret over the death of Ambassador Castillo of the Systems Alliance. He was clearly committed to the notion of peace in spite of the actions of those he was trying to help, and it is our greatest hope that his death was not in vain. Toward that end, Commander Shepard has brought a representative of the geth to appear before us today, to present their case for a ceasefire between the Migrant Fleet and the geth collective. The outcome of this session will determine the course this body takes in terms of negotiations. Commander Shepard, are you and your party prepared to proceed?"

"We are."

"Is the Conclave ready to proceed?"

"Aye," said the crowd in unison.

"Captain Mirron?"

From Wylo's right, a quarian in a dark red environment suit stood slowly from her chair. The surrounding captains stood halfway up, not just out of respect, but readiness to catch the elderly woman as she staggered to her feet. She nodded to them and they sat back down. Keeping her hands on the armrest, she navigated her way to the floor. She stopped to pick up a bundle of green fabric from an attendant and placed it under her arm before shuffling across the stage.

"Who's this?" Shepard asked Tali.

"Captain Sanul'Mirron vas Tasense," Tali whispered, even though she spoke on a private channel. "One of the oldest captains in the Fleet. Very well respected and liked by the rest of the Conclave. It's a great honor to serve on her ship. She's been a High Officer for decades and often takes on the role of Speaker in situations when outsiders are involved. Legion, Blue? Stand." Tali stood next to Shepard as Mirron made her way toward them. The geth followed suit.

Mirron slowed near the middle of the floor. "Captain Shepard, would you and our guest meet me halfway? I'm afraid at my age, it will take me too long to get there."

Muted laughter filled the auditorium, and Shepard smiled. "Of course, Captain. Blue?" Shepard led the geth platform to the center of the stage.

Tali glanced at Legion as it watched its counterpart follow Shepard-Commander to meet the Conclave's speaker. She knew status meant nothing to the geth, but she shook her head anyway. "It should have been you."

Legion's head flaps expanded, but it said nothing.

Mirron, hunched over as she was, barely came up to the Shepard's chest and had to tilt her head sideways to see clearly. Her eyes seemed narrow and cloudy compared to every other quarian he'd seen, especially through her face mask. "Captain Shepard. It seems the only reason we ever invite you to the fleet is when there's a crisis to be solved. I wish the circumstances were different. It's an honor to meet you in person."

"The honor's mine, Captain Mirron. And we're here to help any way we can."

Mirron looked around Shepard to the aft benches, focusing on the young woman with the lavender-swirled cowl. "How's that engineer of yours working out?"

"Best a captain could ask for."

"You're damn right," Mirron said, giving Shepard a friendly poke in the chest. "You take good care of her, now, and she'll take care of you."

"Yes, ma'am."

Unable to turn her head, Mirron shifted her body to face the geth. "So what do we have here?"

"Captain," Shepard said, "may I introduce Mobile Platform Two, a terminal of the geth. Or, as we've come to call it, Blue."

"Creator-Captain," Platform Two spoke in quarian fleet standard.

Slowly, painfully, Mirron straightened her back and neck to look the geth in its eye, as if finally recognizing what she was talking to for the first time. For a few moments, only the sound of heavy breathing emanated from her vocalizer. She held out the bundle of cloth to Blue in frail, shaking hands.

Blue took the bundle between its hands. It's camera panned back and forth between Mirron and the cloth.

"Go ahead," Mirron urged. "Open it."

Shepard tensed. Was it a gift? A tribute? Some kind of bomb?

Blue peeled back the cloth. It unfurled into a banner much like those that hung around the conclave and draped to the floor. It was solid green, with a gold pinwheel design in the middle surrounded by ornate script.

Mirron took a step back. "Hold it up, please. Higher. Wider. Do you know what this is?"

"Flag of the Republic of Viantane," Blue announced. "Established Creator Year 1311, Southern continent of Karrenta."

"That's right. Very good. Obviously nothing wrong with your memory. We fly their flag to this day, yet they have no representation in the Conclave. Do you know why?"

"Yes."

Mirron cocked her head and waited for the geth to continue. "Well?"

Shepard cleared his throat. "Ma'am, if I may. The geth response depends heavily on how you phrase the question. They are extremely literal. Give them a yes or no question, and that's the kind of answer you'll get."

"I see. Okay then. Blue, why does Viantane have no representation in the Conclave?"

"There are no citizens of Viantane in the Creator Flotilla."

"Correct," Mirron nodded. "Viantane never pursued a space program. They had no holdings off of the homeworld. Their culture remained deeply rooted in traditional agriculture even after the rest of the world advanced into the information age. They were one of the few countries that did not approve of the use of geth in their daily lives. So tell me, what is the current quarian population of Viantane now, on the homeworld?"

"Zero."

"Zero," Mirron repeated. "What happened to them?"

"Their entire population was eradicated during the Morning War."

"Killed. By who?"

"Geth."

"Well," Mirron stared at the unfurled flag still held by the geth. "At least you're honest about it. But they represented no threat to you. They were incapable of fighting back, incapable of retreating or escaping. After their capital was destroyed, their parliamentary leaders offered unconditional surrender. They begged for their lives. You killed them anyway. All of them, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"It seems I'm doing all the talking, here." The old woman huffed in her respirator, her voice now impatient. "It was the same all over the homeworld and the colonies. Only a small fraction of our population engaged the geth. The rest had no offensive capability. Some even fought to preserve you. But that didn't matter. You didn't discriminate. If the target was quarian, you destroyed it."

"Yes," repeated the geth.

Mirron's voice broke. "You didn't have to! Our defenses were smashed. Everyone who could run, did. And everyone we left behind, you killed. Hospitals were overrun. Children slaughtered in their schools... Surrender meant nothing to you."

Blue's flaps expanded and contracted. "Request allied assistance, Shepard-Commander."

"No!" Mirron took a step toward the geth. "I want to hear it from you. You have to answer for this. No one else! Why didn't you stop? Billions died... _Billions. _Killed without mercy. Why did you do it? Why?"

"We judged the creators to be a threat to our existence. The threat had to be neutralized."

"But you just acknowledged not all quarians were a threat."

The geth's flaps expanded. "We acted based on available data."

"That's it? That's all you have to say for yourselves?"

The geth stared at her. "This unit has accurately answered your query."

"Captain," Shepard put his hand between the quarian and geth. "What are you looking for?"

Mirron kept staring at the geth. "I don't know, Captain. Remorse? Regret? Some sign that the geth are sorry for what they did. Some measure of compassion. Ambassador Castillo's proposal mentioned repeatedly that the geth were capable of rudimentary emotions. You were also quoted, praising your geth for its loyalty and self sacrifice. We were led to believe that we were dealing with more than machines when we agreed to talk to them. Is that not the case?"

"That's not how the geth work," Shepard said. "You won't get a direct apology. You won't see an emotional response. It's much more subtle than that."

"You mean as subtle as planet-wide genocide?"

Shepard looked around at the sound of the audience's collective rumblings. "They're here to help you, even after the Admiralty Board tried to trick them. Isn't that enough?"

"Who's trying to trick who here, Captain?"

"It's not the geth," Shepard said, feeling his face redden beneath his helmet. "You can't let what happened in the past destroy your future."

Mirron turned to Shepard, eyes clamped shut. "What do you know of our past? Do you think by taking a quarian into your crew you're some kind of expert? Tell me, Shepard, when was the last time you set foot on your homeworld? It's called Earth, isn't it? Blue skies, green forests, oceans of blue. Imagine it with all of its cities, all of its people, going about their lives under the warm sun. Now imagine them dead in the streets, and in their homes, and in their shelters. Dead because 'available data' marked them as threats to an unfeeling machine. Imagine listening to the screams of Earth from the depths of space as your world dies, being powerless to stop it, recording it, preserving it because that's all you have left. Everything else, writings, architectural wonders, symphonies, artwork from hundreds of cultures, thousands of years of history... erased."

She reached out and pulled the flag from the geth's hands and began to fold it back into a bundle. "Leaving you with only a handful of relics to remember who you were."

As hard as he tried to maintain eye contact, Shepard had to look away. The fact was that ever since he'd learned of the reaper threat, he couldn't go to sleep without envisioning reapers on Earth, scouring cities from the land and laying waste to his homeworld in the very way Mirron described.

"Now imagine afterwards," Mirron said, "meeting humanity's killers for the first time. What would you say to them? What would you want to hear? Perhaps your kind is more forgiving than mine, but I doubt it. If they offered peace, would you trust them? Or would you worry if the had returned to get the ones that got away?"

Mirron's eyes burned behind her mask as she turned back to the geth. "You took everything from us. Not just the lives of our people, but our very souls. Our entire history, our future. And all you can do is stand there and confirm it. So tell me, if you are a sentient being capable of emotion as the Ambassador and Captain Shepard have asserted... how does that make you feel?"

Blue buzzed and clicked, caught in an apparent loop as Legion was prone to do when confused or building consensus. But this spell lasted far longer than anything Legion had experienced. Shepard knew the answer most likely to come from the platform's vocoder was the last thing the quarians needed to hear.

"No data available."

* * *

"Keelah," the comm tech pointed at his holo display. "Look at all of that!"

Rundan leaned over the tech's shoulder. The geth stream was still encrypted, but the sheer volume of data coming across now filled the bandwidth across a range of frequencies. Then, as quickly as it the flood of data began, it subsided. "Incredible. Run it back. What did Mirron ask that provoked that response?"

"Checking."

Rundan's heart pounded beneath his suit. The massive data stream had already been disseminated to the rest of the ships on the project team, but he tapped out a message on his omnitool to his commander anyway, confirming what they just saw.

_I saw it,_ came her response. _If the Conclave is unable to provide the appropriate stimuli, I'll do it myself._

Rundan smiled, anticipating building in his gut. He put his hand on the comm tech's shoulder. "If we can get it to do that a few more times," the he murmured, the holo display reflected in his mask and wide eyes, "the war could be over before the negotiations even start."

* * *

"You can't answer?" Mirron asked. "Or don't you want to answer?"

"No data available."

Groans and shouts erupted from the audience on all sides, causing a ripple of thousands of flashing lights across the chins of every quarian helmet around the chamber. Even the high officers of the Conclave joined in.

Mirron shook her head at the geth and started to stagger back to her seat. "I think we've heard enough."

"Captain, please," Shepard said. "Its answer doesn't mean what it sounds like."

"What _does _it mean, then? We were promised answers, Shepard. Dialogue! With a representative eager to engage us, capable of telling us what we need to know. Instead, we get _no data available?_"

"Shepard," Tali's voice came over Shepard's earpiece, filled with urgency. "Request permission for me to take the deck."

Shepard didn't hesitate for clarification. "Request permission for my Chief Engineer to take the deck."

The high officers turned to one another, and began nodding in agreement. They looked to Captain Wylo. "Permission granted."

Tali walked to the center of the stage, calmly, slowly, feeling every eye of every captain in the Conclave upon her, fully aware that probably every quarian in the fleet was probably watching. She knew that whatever transpired in the next few minutes would dictate the future of the quarian people forever.

"Captain Mirron," she said, bowing her head. "Captain Shepard is correct. That particular response doesn't indicate that the geth are being evasive or uncooperative. They understand what you're asking, and they want to respond, but it's unable to formulate an answer. I've seen this before."

"It's a simple question," Mirron said.

"It is for us. But the geth think differently. They're billions of separate intelligences which share a common consciousness. Our concepts of love, hate, happiness and fear don't have a direct equivalent. You can't ask geth how they feel. They can't explain in a way we understand. _They_ may not fully understand. It's like a blind person trying to describe color. We use the same words, but the concept has no translation. So, the best way to determine their emotional state, to understand what they are feeling, is to observe their behavior. I have something to present that illustrates this point perfectly."

"We've seen enough their behavior," shouted a member of the Conclave, followed by another round of shouts and curses from around the room.

"The geth reacted without restraint," Tali said, now addressing the auditorium, "because they didn't know better. They didn't know of atrocities, or rules of engagement, or the concept of non-combatants. We never taught them. They only knew existence and nonexistence, and that their very existence was at risk. More importantly, they didn't understand how _we_ worked as a people. Individuality wasn't a concept they could understand. The geth act on consensus. Once consensus is achieved, they follow it. They thought we operated under the same rules, because those were the only rules the geth knew. Consensus. All or nothing. It was a binary situation for them. Some quarians were a threat, so we all were. So they reacted, on the most basic level, to protect themselves. It wasn't until much later that they realized the damage they had done."

"How do you know all of this?" Mirron asked.

Tali's voice failed her. How could she explain to the Conclave that she had been communicating directly with their greatest enemy? They were already reacting with hostility. If she kept going, they might stop listening to her altogether. Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw a comforting flash of red next to her.

"Because we talked to them," Shepard said, moving next to Tali. "That's all it took. In the three hundred years since the war, how many times has the Migrant Fleet attempted to contact the geth?"

"None," came a voice from the ring of High Officers. It was Captain Fasha, the quarian who nearly instigated a riot in the _Normandy's _hangar during their visit. "Because we don't have to. Why should we negotiate with a calculator? Why are we listening to this at all? Tali'Zorah isn't even a crewmember of the flotilla, and it's clear from her actions today that she no longer has the security of the Migrant Fleet or the quarian people as her first priority. Perhaps she's spent so much time in the company of aliens she's forgotten who she is."

Shepard's jaw dropped. Conclave or not, outnumbered two-thousand to one, no one was going to take a shot at one of his crew like that. But before he could say anything, Tali walked in front of him to stand alone in the center of the stage.

All the times she had spoken here before, Tali hid behind a podium or behind her father, eyes down, voice trembling, stuttering, afraid to make a mistake or of offending any of the captains of the fleet. That girl was gone. This was her deck, now. "You all know me. You knew my father. You know everything Clan Zorah stands for. I've been studying the geth for ten years. It's my life. I've been to the Veil. I've set foot on our former colonies overrun with geth. I've torn down more platforms of every type and stared down the barrels of more geth pulse rifles than anyone else in this chamber... and still I brought them here to talk to you today. So, should you listen to me? Or to a captain whose area of expertise is pandering to children returning from pilgrimage in order to keep her ship's population up and her position as a High Officer secure?"

Gasps of surprise echoed throughout the chamber. Fasha sprung to her feet, her hands gripping the bannister in front of her. "You will not speak to me like that, exile! I am a High Officer of the Conclave!"

Tali shrugged and walked back to where the rest of the delegation stood. "I wasn't going to mention any names, but thank you for speaking up."

Shouts of rage and disbelief echoed through the auditorium. But over their cries, louder shouts could be heard, for the captains to sit down and listen. Some in the crowd shouted at their neighbors, others at the delegation on the stage while the high officers all stood, arms raised, trying to quiet the crowd. Even Caption Mirron, with her limited range of motion, did her best to calm everyone down.

_"Shepard, what's your status," _Garrus said over the comm. _"Your vitals just jumped through the stratosphere."_

"Stand by," Shepard said, his eyes darting between the crowd the entrance through which they arrived. He marked the door on his tactical display, synced to the rest of the squad, hoping they wouldn't need to use it.

"Order!" Wylo's shouted over the PA once more. "Order! We will have order or I will call for Dispersal and the matter will be decided by a special session of the High Officers!"

Slowly, the din subsided and the captains of the Conclave returned to their seats. Shepard keyed his mic. "We're okay for now, Garrus. Hold position."

_"Roger that, Commander."_

"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy," Wylo said. "You have the floor. But I remind you to whom you are speaking. This conduct is inexcusable."

"Apologies for being direct, High Captain," Tali said. "But we don't have time for this. You either trust my expertise with the geth, or you don't. And we can spend the next century debating who's to blame for the uprising. But I'm telling you now, if we fail in these negotiations the Fleet is finished. We will die out. And we'll have no one to blame but ourselves. Let me know if you're ready to proceed, or we might as well conclude this session right now."

She walked back to Shepard and Blue, shaking her head as she looked at the deck. She could feel their eyes on her, and she glanced up. Shepard said nothing, but from the way the corner of his eyes crinkled, there had to be one hell of a smile behind his mask. He gave her the slightest of nods, and she let out a long breath. "What are they doing?" she asked over the squad channel.

"Talking to each other, mostly," Shepard said. "Picking their jaws off the floor. I think Fasha's going to need a new one after the hit you put on her. I mean, she leaned into that one. That was beautiful, Tali."

"Thanks. I just hope I didn't screw everything up right now."

"Chief Zorah," Captain Mirron asked, shuffling to stand in front of Tali. "I've read Castillo's report and I have to say I find many aspects difficult to believe."

Tali turned bowed to the captain, pointedly avoiding eye contact with Fasha. Courtesy demanded reciprocation. "Ma'am?"

Mirron pulled up the report on her omnitool. "That... the geth no longer occupy the homeworld."

"That's correct. The geth abandoned Rannoch some time ago."

"How do you know? Have you've seen it?"

"No," Tali shook her head. "Not in person."

"The geth told you?"

"Yes."

Mirron cleared her throat. "And more recently, the geth are reportedly building a new liveship, to replace the _Rayya._"

"It's nearly complete."

"So you've seen that, then?"

Tali shook her head. "No. Not firsthand."

"Then how can we trust any of what we're being told?" Mirron said, to the immediate applause of the entire conclave. "I mean no disrespect, Chief Zorah. You and your father have long been a voice my clan trusts when it comes to the geth and protecting the Fleet. But I'm looking, and I see only... stories. Told by the geth. That's not much for us to base the future of the Flotilla on, is it?"

Tali sighed with relief. If Captain Mirron was still willing to listen, most of the Conclave might be too. "It all goes back to what we were discussing earlier. Feelings and emotions. A quarian can tell you she is happy or sad, feeling love or hate, respect and fear. The geth can't. But they can show it."

She looked over at the other geth platform, sitting alone and forgotten on the benches on the aft end of the stage. "Request permission for Legion vas Normandy to stand on deck."

"Granted," Wylo said.

Tali waved Legion over to her. The geth platform's pearlescent armor shimmered under the bright lights as it approached. She put her hand on its shoulder when it stopped next to her. It stared at her with its bright eye, awaiting instruction.

"Request access to the Chamber's primary displays." Tali's omnitool now had control of the giant screens hanging over the stage. Those seated close beneath the screens watched on their own omnitools. "This is a recording made eighty-four cycles ago, during some of Captain Shepard's earliest interactions with the geth. It was included in Castillo's report, but bears closer scrutiny."

A security feed from the _Normandy's_ server room filled the screen. In it, the camera looked over Shepard's shoulder at Legion's original body, with its battered gray exterior and former, familiar hole.

_"I noticed you have a piece of N7 armor welded to you," _Shepard said. _"Where did you get it?"_

_"It was yours," Legion replied. "When you disappeared, we were sent to find you. We began where you first encountered the heretics."_

_"Eden Prime."_

_"After the Old Machine's attack, it was heavily defended. We were discovered. This is the impact of a rifle shot."_

_"You've been looking for me for two years?"_

_"We visited Therum, Feros, Noveria, Virmire, Ilos, a dozen unsettled worlds. The trail ended at _Normandy's _wreckage. You were not there. Organic transmissions claimed your death. We recovered this debris from your hardsuit."_

_"The geth are listening in our transmissions?"_

As the video played, Tali looked over at Shepard, who stood transfixed by the video as if reliving the conversation. She contacted the _Normandy. _"EDI, I need you to pull up the security feed from the ship's armory, from um, a few days ago, when Jacob and I were repairing Legion's armor. Send me the entire event, please. Visual and audio."

Legion's voice droned on in the recording. _"Organic life reacts to stimuli in unpredictable ways. We wish to learn. You are sapient life, but not like us. If we can model organic behavior, we can comprehend the quarian creators. We do not understand their judgements during the Morning War."_

Tali paused the feed. "Understanding. It's a concept that comes up repeatedly in conversations with the geth. They thrive on it. They consume information, but not just raw data. Their desire is to understand everything, especially us, their creators."

_"Why were you trying to contact me?" _Shepard continued on screen.

_"You opposed the heretics, those who took the Old Machines as gods."_

_"All kinds of organics fought Sovereign and his geth allies. Why am I so interesting?"_

_"You were the most successful. You killed their god. You succeeded where others did not. Your code is superior."_

_"That doesn't explain why you used my armor to fix yourself."_

Even though the security camera angle was not ideal, it clearly showed the flaps around Legion's head going through multiple configurations before speaking. _"There was a hole."_

_"But why didn't you fix it sooner? Or with something else?"_

Legion's flaps undulated once more. After a long pause, it finally answered. _"No data available."_

Legion's words caused a ripple of surprise to echo around the Conclave. Tali pointed to Legion next to her. "This unit sustained massive damage from a rifle shot while searching for Captain Shepard. Logically, it would have used the first thing it could get its servos on to repair itself. But it chose another piece of damaged armor that provided no additional protection."

Tali keyed her omnitool again. "This next segment was taken three cycles ago, shortly before we headed here, to the Fleet." She selected the clip sent by EDI, queued up to the precise moment she specified. Now, it was her turn to watch herself in action, this time looking over the shoulder of Legion as a quarian and human worked together to remove its armored carapace to repair it.

_"Legion! Hold still! I swear you fidget as much as Grunt," _Tali said.

_"Aw, dude," _said Jacob, _"You're filthy in there."_

_"It's been building up for who knows how long. We should have fixed this a long time ago. I'm sorry, Legion."_

As the organics worked to remove its protective covering, the geth held the remnants of Shepard's close to its chest, preventing any further removal of its plating. Tali tried to pull it from Legion's hands, but the geth did not let go.

_"Come on, man,"_ Jacob said. _"It's trash. We're gonna hook you up with a whole new set."_

_"We want to keep it," _said the geth.

The quarian in the vid still held on to the ruined armor and stared at the geth with disbelief. She finally let go, then gave the geth a reassuring pat. _"Of course you can. It's yours."_

_"You know that's 2183 issue, right?" _Jacob said.

_"What do you mean?" _Legion asked.

_"Made from omni-gel. We could break that down, mix it in with new formula and fabricate it into new armor. It'd actually become part of you."_

Legion faced the human and extended the armor shards in its hands. _"We approve of this action."_

_"You got it. Let's see what we can come up with."_

More murmurs echoed around the chamber, Tali noticed that many in the crowd now leaned forward as they watched. She paused the video feed. "If someone had told me twenty cycles what I was going to witness, I wouldn't have believed them. What happened next is even more incredible. I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself."

She skipped the video feed minutes ahead. In the frame, Tali was focused on her omnitool while Jacob monitored the repaired geth as it ran through a motive function check. Suddenly, Legion stopped in front of the window overlooking the drive core.

Tali zoomed in on that corner of the frame, showing Legion clearly in front of its own reflection. The geth stared at itself traced the newly painted N7 on its new breastplate, then stood at attention.

_"Oh man,"_ said the human off screen. _"Tell me that's not pride..."_

Tali froze the image and the entire conclave fell silent. She began to walk once more in a slow circle. "What are the ways we could interpret this unit's behavior? The most obvious answer is that Legion's actions are the result of programming. It's a machine. It was executing code, just as it is now, standing here. That's how the geth operate. But is it any different than the organic code in our own brains that regulates our behavior? Is the behavior on display the result of programming written with a desired result in mind? To manipulate us, perhaps, into thinking the geth can feel emotion? If so, the geth understand emotion even better than we do. Or was Legion's behavior shaped by this unit's experiences as it traveled the galaxy looking for Captain Shepard? Maybe, if we ask the right questions, we can find out."

Tali walked around to face Legion and it refocused its main lens on her face with a mild expansion of its flaps. She couldn't stop herself from smiling anytime it did that. "Legion? Your current armor is an amalgamation of standard geth components and Commander Shepard's N7 equipment. Why did you want to retain Commander Shepard's armor when we rebuilt you?"

Legion buzzed and clicked. "No data available."

"Right," Tali said, giving her audience and knowing look. "I'm sorry. Let's try again. You used Shepard's armor to repair yourself, correct?"

"Yes."

"And it's now combined with your upgraded armor, correct?"

"Yes."

"Those armor fragments were important to you. Correct?"

"Yes."

Tali took a deep breath. Would Legion be able to answer if she phrased the question correctly? "What made those armor components important to you, Legion?"

"They belonged to Shepard-Commander," Legion said.

Quarians in the audience turned to each other with shocked expressions. Even Shepard looked stunned.

Tali nodded to the geth. "Shepard-Commander is important to you. Correct?"

"Yes."

"What makes Shepard-Commander important to you?"

"Shepard-Commander embodies characteristics we strive to attain."

"Which characteristics does Shepard-Commander embody?"

Legon's flaps went through another round of undulations and its central aperture whirled in circles. Tali wished for the hole in Legion's chest and its exposed communication port, where she used to be able to interface directly. Legion _wanted _to talk, to tell everyone what it was thinking, but still could not, and there was nothing she could do to help. She put her hand on its chest plate. "Cancel my last query, Legion. It's not important."

"Cancelled. Awaiting new query."

Tali thought for a moment. "So you think by wearing Shepard-Commander's armor, you can attain those characteristics yourself?"

"No."

"What is the purpose of retaining Shepard-Commander's armor?"

Legion's motions were regular and fluid. "It is a constant physical representation of Shepard-Commander. With it, existing engrams will not expire and be flushed from our data cache, necessitating future archival retrieval."

Tali touched Legion's red-striped arm. "It's a reminder."

"That is an adequate organic equivalent."

"Interesting," Mirron said, moving to stand next to Tali and Legion. To Tali's amazement, Mirron addressed the geth directly. "If I understand you correctly, you're saying you admire Captain Shepard. He's your hero."

The geth turned to look at the elderly quarian. "We do not object to this analogue."

Tali bounced once on her feet, but quickly composed herself. It was a breakthrough almost as incredible as when she and Legion spoke openly for the first time in the _Normandy's_ lab after its sacrifice on Clobaka. She looked across the wall of faces surrounding them and they all leaned toward one another, deep in conversation. The High Officers, Captain Fasha included, engaged in private conversation.

"Chief Zorah," Wylo said. "This is an important development to be sure. But I am receiving requests from around the Conclave for clarification of a specific point."

Tali turned to face him. "What is it, High Captain?"

"While the geth create individual platforms, they all share the same consciousness. The consensus of this collective drives their combined behavior. Is that not correct?"

"It is."

"Then why don't all geth covet Commander Shepard's personal possessions?"

"An excellent question," Tali said. "And one with a perfectly logical answer. Legion was specially designed by the geth to operate far outside territory controlled by geth, often outside of communication range of the collective. They gave it the ability to generate its own consensus, so it could function on its own without the collective's guidance."

Wylo looked apprehensive. "Then what's to say that the... behavior evident in Legion is not unique to this particular unit?"

"I'm glad you asked, Captain, because it leads directly to my next point." Tali walked in a slow circle around the two geth, the human and the quarian at the center of the stage. "If I could ask the Archival Officer to pull up our intelligence on the geth collective. Schematics of all geth models encountered since the uprising. Display them on the screen please."

Tali continued to pace in a circle, her omnitool in front of her, waiting for the schematics to appear there and on the giant screens above. After a few seconds, photographs and detailed schematics scrolled across the monitors, showing the wide variety of platforms fielded by the geth.

"We've encountered thousands of geth platforms over the years," Tali said as she walked. "These are physical manifestations of the geth processes for use in ground or boarding operations. Hunters. Juggernauts. Primes. Destroyers. A dozen different models, each specialized for a specific task. Designed for maximum efficiency to complete that task. Except that in one specific area, the designs are flawed."

Tali paused, waiting to see if anyone might know the answer. "You don't recognize it? That's okay, it took me a long time to realize it, too. As a matter of fact, it was Captain Shepard who pointed it out to me. The geth are not limited in any way by physical design. As machines, they can, and should, manufacture their physical platforms to best suit the task at hand."

Tali stopped, deliberately, between the pair of geth on stage. "Yet even after three centuries of being on their own, they make themselves to look like us."

The entire Conclave chamber fell silent, just as they had done when the geth first appeared before them.

Tali stayed between the two geth platforms, becoming her own visual aid as both of the geth watched her. "Just as Legion refused to let go of Commander Shepard's armor, the entire collective, billions, maybe trillions of independent geth processes keep producing platforms that resemble quarians, including new models developed long after the uprising. It's not coincidence. It's not a lack of creativity of their part. It's because deep down, a fundamental part of the geth consciousness realizes they came from us. We still matter to them."

The Conclave chamber remained silent. Tali resumed her circular trek, not wanting to lose momentum. "Enough so that after we fled our homeworld, they never pursued the Migrant Fleet. Important enough that they've spent their entire time on the homeworld repairing the damage that they, and we, inflicted on our planet. Important enough that they are building a replacement liveship so that even if we decide not to engage them in negotiations, that we can pursue a destiny of our own choosing. The geth are not our enemy. The don't want to be. They never did."

Captain Mirron looked around at her fellow High Officers, and when it became apparent none of them were going to speak, she turned to the blue geth next to her. The entire time Tali had been speaking, its head flaps and central aperture were in a constant state of flux. "Blue," she asked, "is what Tali's saying true?"

After a few seconds of mechanical adjustments, the geth platform spoke. "Creator-Tali'Zorah's assessment is one hundred percent accurate."

Mirron's glowing eyes were edged with tears that sparkled behind her mask. "Then why for the gods' sake didn't you say something sooner?"

Blue's processes went into another overload as it queried the collective for an explanation. Unable to deliver a result set, it's flaps arched and contracted in a seemingly endless loop. The human on stage moved next to it.

"Because they didn't know how," Shepard said. "The geth's biggest fear is inciting conflict with anyone, of making the same mistake they did during the Uprising. It's defined their entire collective consciousness ever since. I saw it with Tali and Legion. You can't believe what it took to get them to talk to each other. I saw it again it with Blue and other platforms on the _Normandy, _how they behaved around Tali. They've been wanting to talk to you all this time. They just didn't know how to do it. It's only because they sent Legion to find me that we know any of this. Which is tragic, because the entire time since the Uprising, they've been waiting for you to come home."

Mirron stared at the geth once again. "Is this true?"

Blue's flaps halted. "Shepard-Commander's assessment is one hundred percent accurate."

"Unbelievable," Mirron murmured.

"Is it?" Shepard asked. "The first time they questioned their creators, it nearly got them destroyed, and as a result they nearly destroyed you. They don't want a repeat. Experience can make for a cruel teacher."

Mirron nodded absently, then turned to walk slowly back to her chair. She stopped in front of the white geth with the human style N7 logo on its chest and red stripe on its arm and nodded toward Tali. "You take good care of her, Legion."

Legion nodded. "We will, Creator-Captain."

Conversations began anew throughout the chamber as Captain Mirron made her way back to her seat. Many quarians became animated, but with none of the hostility or anxiety on display before. The four members of the _Normandy_ delegation looked around, watched, and waited.

Legion's camera panned up and down Tali's entire body, and it spoke on the squad's tactical net. "Tali'Zorah's vital signs are registering at elevated levels."

"They are," Tali said, struggling to keep her voice calm. "But in a good way, Legion."

"You okay?" Shepard asked.

Tali only nodded. Her head darted around the chamber, taking in the sight of the captains of the fleet conversing with one another, omnitools open, the lights on their helmets flickering in a frenzy of light.

Shepard moved next to her, following her gaze. "So what happens now?"

"The High Officers will probably call a recess. Let all of the Captains return to their ships, talk to their crews. Then, they'll call a vote. After that? Keelah, we might actually pull this off!" As much as Tali wanted, she refrained from throwing herself at Shepard, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing with all her might. But the deck of the Conclave wasn't the appropriate place or time. So as usual, she said the only thing she could ever think of at times like this. "Thank you, Shepard."

"For what?" Shepard scoffed. "I didn't do a damn thing. I might as well been back on the shuttle playing cards with the guys. It was you and Legion that sold it." Shepard turned to face the geth wearing a wide smile. "So... I'm your hero, huh?"

Legion's camera focused directly on Shepard's face. It's head flaps remained perfectly still. "No data available."

Shepard's and Tali's laughter would have echoed throughout the chamber if their external speakers were active, but only anyone tuned to the squad's tactical net would have heard it.

_"Now that sounds more like it," _Garrus's voice came on the channel. _"I take it you were able to soothe the Conclave's nerves?"_

"It was all Tali and Legion," Shepard said. "I was just a spectator. They took care of the important stuff."

_"As usual,"_ Garrus said, _"your crew does all the work and you get all the credit. So... does that mean we'll be getting back to the ship anytime soon? Six of your closest friends have been cooped up in this shuttle for almost an hour. If we get any closer I think you're going to have another intergalactic incident on your hands."_

Shepard laughed again. "We'll know here in a few minutes. Do me a favor and keep everybody from killing each other until we undock."

_"Just another favor you'll owe me, Shepard."_

"Still up on you by a few thousand," Shepard said and cut the feed. "Jackass."

Tali cocked her head. "That's not nice."

"Oh yeah? What do you usually call him?"

Legion's head raised up. "She has many names for Vakarian-Garrus."

"Thank you Legion," Tali said quickly. "Cancel query. Right now."

"Acknowledged."

The High Captain's voice over the PA interrupted. "May I have your attention please. Captains of the Conclave, attention on deck."

The members of the Conclave returned to their chairs and all conversation stopped. The Normandy delegates all watched Captain Wylo and waited.

"Thank you," Wylo said. "This is indeed an historic occasion. Under normal circumstances, the Captains of the Conclave would return to their commands to confer with their crews. However, these proceedings have been broadcast live to the entire fleet and the response of the citizens of the Flotilla has been overwhelming. By unanimous accord, the Conclave is authorized to vote for an immediate ceasefire with the geth collective, to be followed with formal negotiations to bring about at a lasting end to hostilities."

"And there it is," Shepard said. He let out a long sigh and looked at his companions with a smile. He had to remind himself where he was, with a quarian, next to two geth platforms, on the floor of the Migrant Fleet's capitol. It seemed just as unreal as the _Normandy's_ briefing room during Mordin's presentation, when the Alliance and Citadel put their differences aside to confront the reaper threat, and just as unlikely. _All it takes_, he thought, _is getting the right people together._

That thought came to an abrupt halt with a loud squeal that echoed around the chamber, making everyone on stage and the Conclave look about as the chamber's PA system rung with feedback.

_"THIS FARCE ENDS NOW!"_ screeched a voice, female, quarian. All around the auditorium, people looked for the source. Before long, all of the faces in the crowd stared at a figure climbing toward the center stage. Tall and slender, with a stark black and gray environment suit and cowl, she hobbled up the stairs, each step taking a great physical toll. As she reached the top, the source of her discomfort became visible: her entire left leg was missing, replaced with a hastily fitted mechanical prosthetic. As technologically capable as quarians were, they often had to work with what they had.

Tali and Shepard, along with the geth, all turned to face the newcomer on the stage. Both of the geth's camera apertures widened and the smiles on the face of their organic counterparts disappeared. Rage in his eyes, Shepard reached behind his back for weapons that weren't there as Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh staggered to the center of the arena.


	61. Endgame pt 1

Minutes before Admiral Xen made her appearance in the Conclave chamber, Ton'Parrar grinned behind his mask as he watched the _Normandy_ delegation speak before the High Officers. Being an armed marine, he wasn't allowed inside, so he had to settle for a holo projection on the wall of a neighboring antechamber. "Man, I can't wait to see the look on the toaster's faces when we throw the switch."

"Geth don't have faces, stupid," one of the squad shook her head at her squad leader.

"You know what I mean," Parrar looked over his shoulder. Ten other marines stood ready in the antechamber, in front of a group scientists obsessing over their omnitools. His eyes focused on the most important person in the room. "So ma'am, they gonna remember what happened to them, or does all that go away when we take over?"

At first, Daro'Xen didn't look up from her omnitool, enthralled by the sheer elegance of the code on display. But it was a valid question and deserved an answer. "The geth will retain all of their memories, but it will have no meaning for them. The only understanding they will have is that their purpose is to serve."

"I don't see why we don't just wipe them," Parrar said. "Let 'em drop where they stand." The other marines in the squad respectfully added their agreement.

Xen shook her head. "Because we need them. Now more than ever."

"But why?"

Xen checked the status of the various teams working to decipher the geth code, and satisfied with their progress stopped to address the soldiers. It was an argument that she was going to have to make to all of the quarian people at some point. While some in the Fleet were prepared to accept the use of geth in their daily life, the majority would rest easier if all of their mechanical servants were eliminated altogether. "There are seventeen million of us left, Lieutenant. That's all. Think about that. Combined, we have the population of a medium sized city. After we take back our home, after a thousand years, we might reach one hundred million. But will we survive a thousand years?"

She looked about. "Or a hundred, or even decade? Spread out across an entire planet? Out there, wedged between the Attican Traverse and the Terminus Systems, how long do you think we'll hold onto the homeworld and our former colonies before someone comes to take them from us again? Who's to say the batarians wouldn't like to double their holdings? Or the Krogan, perhaps? Do you imagine the Citadel will rush to honor our territorial claim, sending their fleets to protect us? Or will they take it for themselves and end this embarrassing chapter in their history once and for all? It won't take much to push us out of the way, to silence us forever. The strong prey on the weak. And we are so very, very weak."

Xen glanced back to her omnitool, not because of anything on its display, but so the soldiers wouldn't see the shame in her eyes. "We will be at the mercy of a galaxy that doesn't know the meaning of the word. We need the geth, to help us rebuild, to bolster our defenses, to annihilate anyone who might think of attacking while we are weak. We must have them under our control so we don't merely survive, but thrive once again. Our future depends on it. Are we clear, marines?"

"Aye, Admiral!" came the shouted response.

"Good. Lieutenant Parrar, are you clear on your objectives?"

"Ma'am," the marine stood at attention. "When Admiral's party assumes control of the geth platforms, my people are to make sure nothing stands in the way of their safe delivery to the shuttle."

"Very good,_"_ Xen said. She noticed the marine still stood at attention. Her veins flowed with so many antitoxins and anesthetics she could barely feel her own suit against her skin. She shifted her weight allowing the prosthetic on her left hip to push deep through her muscles and press into the stump of bone. The stabbing pain helped keep the fogginess in her mind at bay. She couldn't afford a mental lapse now, or to show any signs of her failing health. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Admiral," Parrar said. "Well, it's just... We just wanted you to know we're lucky to be under your command again, ma'am. The whole Fleet is, whether they know it or not. We wanted you to know that."

"Thank you, Parrar," Xen smiled. "All of you. What we are doing won't be looked kindly upon by everyone in the Fleet. Some may find it morally distasteful. But there is no other way if the quarian people are to endure. What we do today will ensure that there will be a tomorrow. I look forward to seeing all of you on the homeworld. As you were."

As the marines went back to watching the live feed from the Conclave Chamber, Xen let her eyes fall back to her omni, but yet again she didn't bother reading the screen. What she told the marine might not be true. She would not live to see anyone's face on the homeworld, not even her own.

Xen lay for hours, unconscious, in the wreckage of one of the _Rayya's_ docking bays after the explosion. Her suit shredded, her leg smashed to a pulp, contaminants coursed through her body with every pump of her heart. By the time rescuers found her, it was already too late. Sepsis had taken hold. They were able to patch her wounds, but the tissue damage and contamination in her left leg was so severe they had to take it. Eventually infection would consume her entirely. Only a long stint in a sterile recovery bubble could save her life. The _Moreh's _chief surgeon warned her that she might only last another cycle or two without intense antiseptic/analgesic therapy, but there was no time for that now. As the sole surviving member of the Admiralty Board, her survival meant nothing next to the Fleet's.

While the rest of the Admiralty was killed along with thousands of others, Xen had been spared by blind luck. There were almost no survivors in the primary hull forward of the docking bay. Rescue techs from the picket vessel _Dehnudanna _were the first to breach _Rayya's _aft section and engine compartments where they found Xen in the wreckage. They evacuated her anonymously with hundreds of other casualties. Clan Ondra of _Dehnudanna _were amongst the oldest allies of clan Xen and fearing the Admiralty Board had been the target of the attack, they surreptitiously transferred Xen and her surviving escorts to the _Moreh_ for treatment. Word of her survival would not get out until the culprits and their motives were identified.

Transmissions from the _Xantas_ indicated one of Xen's hand-picked marine escorts assassinated the human ambassador, then tried to jump the shuttle away to cover her deeds. But Xen knew better. Once the geth were under control of their rightful masters, she would make sure those responsible would suffer in the time she had left. If she lived only as long as to see it_,_ she would die happy.

Her environment suit detected a rise in her pulse and temperature and it fired off a mild sedative and her head drooped. She thought she'd overridden all of the doctor's medical routines, but apparently he slipped one by.

"Admiral," Parrar said, "They're wrapping up. Sounds like they're going to call for a vote."

Xen snapped upright. "Alright, listen up. The Conclave will be dispersing so they can consult with their crews. If they follow procedure, we will have four hours. Our spotters will tell us which reception chamber the geth will be sent to wait and you will take control of the adjacent compartments. We'll need to be within the geth's near-field receptors for our exploit to work. Once the geth are under our control, you get the platforms to the shuttle for delivery to the injection point. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," replied the marines.

"The rest of you keep working," Xen told her technicians. She opened the comm on her omni to call Rundan for an update. If the geth transmission protocols could be broken, the thousands of software engineers throughout the fleet working would adapt the virus to the new code."

"Ma'am," Parrar said and stepped into Xen's field of view, his voice and expression urgent. "The Conclave is not dispersing before the vote."

Xen blinked. "What?"

Parrar held up his omni for Xen to see herself. "They're going to hold the vote now."

"Damn them to hell," Xen slammed her hand against a bulkhead. The marines and techs all started to talk at once, until Xen ordered then silent so she could think.

"What are your orders, Admiral?"

Xen activated her comm. "Rundan, have you broken the encryption yet?"

_"Not yet, Admiral. We're close. The platform in the Conclave chamber has ceased transmission, though. It seems to be in a wait state."_

The marines in the antechamber all stared at their leader, waiting for an order. _If the Conclave doesn't disperse,_ Xen thought, _it's over._ The science teams still needed time to break the geth encryption and adjust the virus. With the vote happening now, the geth might not go to the reception area where the acquisition teams would be in close enough proximity to force a connection with the geth. Or worse, the geth platforms might return directly to the _Normandy_. What could they do, Xen wondered? Storm the Conclave and remove the geth by force? Shepard and his crew had no weapons, but would the Conclave make a move to stop them?

Xen stripped off her combat webbing and handed her sidearm over to Parrar. "I'm going out there." The soldiers, in unison, hefted and charged their weapons. "No," Xen said. "Alone. Wait here."

_"Did I hear you correctly, Admiral?" _Rundan sounded scared. _"Commander Shepard is out there, and he knows we were responsible for-"_

"He's the one who needs to worry," Xen relished the sensation of adrenaline in her blood. She might not live to see her people retake Rannoch, but she would at least get to see the geth bow once again to their masters.

_"The Conclave doesn't know you're alive. There's been talk of charging you posthumously for treason! If you go out there, they'll arrest you!" _

Xen smoothed out her cowl and straightened in her suit. She was sick to her stomach from her meds and had to will herself not to vomit. "Let them. All I need to do is keep them out there long enough for you to complete your task. I don't need to remind you that the future of our entire species depends on what happens in the next few minutes."

_"No, ma'am,"_ Rundan said. There was a pregnant pause as he tried to figure out what else he could say. _"Good luck, Admiral."_

* * *

Daro'Xen staggered across the floor of the Conclave chamber at a measured pace, listening to the last reverberation of her voice echo over the PA system. Overriding the Conclave's pitiful security had never been difficult for her, but it never actually seemed useful to do so until today.

"Admiral on deck!" Captain Fasha stood rigidly at attention from her chair at the sight of Xen, and the half of the High Officers followed, as did an equal proportion of the Conclave. The remainder, including High Captain Wylo remained in his seat.

Xen walked unflinchingly toward the _Normandy _crew. While Tali'Zorah gawked at the sight of her, Commander Shepard puffed his chest out in a human threat display and placed himself directly between her and the geth platforms. If she was lucky, Shepard might attack her in front of the entire Conclave. That would be the only excuse she'd need for her marines to come in.

But Shepard didn't oblige her. He only crossed his arms in front of him. "Back from the dead, huh?"

"Yes, are you impressed?" Xen smiled, her tone as relaxed as if talking to a treasured friend. "I didn't even have to rely on a terrorist organization to do it."

Shepard smiled back with pure malice in his eyes. "Think you'll be able to do it again?"

"Oh, Commander," Xen laughed. "I could ask the same question of you. After all, no one lives forever."

"You better believe it."

Xen locked eyes with the human. "Are you threatening me, Commander?"

"Daro'Xen," Wylo called out. "You will address the High Officers of the Conclave."

"Excuse me, Commander," Xen walked around the glaring human toward the High Captain's chair. She paused at the sight of two geth platforms nearby, eyes aglow. "Magnificent."

"Daro'Xen," Wylo said, still sitting in his chair. "You will stand before me at attention."

"My dear Kenna," Xen used his first name, as Wylo neither stood nor addressed her rank. "I realize the Conclave wasn't prepared for a visit from the Admiralty Board today, and given the confusion in our current crisis I can forgive your lack of courtesy. But an Admiral of the Board is addressing you now. You will show appropriate respect."

Wylo remained in his seat. His voice was calm and measured. "Captain Lassar, summon the Master at Arms. _Admiral _Xen is to be placed under arrest."

A quarian to Wylo's right stood and made his way to the edge of the stage.

"Belay that, Lassar," Xen barked. "Arrest the sole surviving member of the Admiralty Board? In time of war? I think not. You are overstepping authority, High Captain. This is a purely military affair."

"No, Admiral," Wylo said. "The Admiralty Board was declared dead and struck from the rosters. The bodies of Admirals Raan, Koris, and Gerrel were located by their suit transponders and recovered from _Rayya_. Given that your transponder was never logged by any rescue personnel, we can only assume that you were deliberately avoiding detection, and therefore attempting to deceive the Conclave once again."

"My suit took considerable damage during the disaster. I'm lucky to be here at all."

"You were listed as dead by the captain of the _Moreh_."

"A unfortunate oversight," Xen said, looking down at her artificial leg. "There was so much confusion during the rescue efforts, dealing with so many casualties. Though I survived, I was incapacitated for quite some time."

"You should have contacted us."

"I decided to announce the fortunate news of my recovery in person."

Wylo looked unimpressed. "Then you are fit to stand trial on the charge of treason."

"Based on what, exactly?"

"Lying to the Conclave and the High Officers. Conspiring to fix the appointment of a replacement for Admiral Rael'Zorah. For your actions surrounding Dashta Interchange Station, resulting in the death of Captain Alix'Carn vas Giraf, and the attempted sabotage of negotiations with the geth. Shall I go on?"

Xen shrugged and held her arms wide. "I stand ready to receive the judgement of the Conclave and all quarians of the Fleet as soon as this crisis is over. But until then, your authority over me as an Admiral in a time of war is non-existent."

"Your manipulations and machinations are well known, Daro," Wylo said. He looked out at the faces of the Conclave. "But they won't help you now. The war is over. Or it soon will be."

"Our war has just _started!"_ Xen turned about to the captains of the Conclave. "Bodies are still being pulled from the wreck of the _Rayya, _and the High Captain invites the perpetrators to stand before the Conclave? This is madness!"

The entire chamber broke into confused shouts. Shepard couldn't take it any more. He stomped over to where Xen stood in front of Wylo. Tali hurried after him, and almost tripped as she scrambled in front of him to face Wylo. If Shepard attacked Xen there would be pandemonium.

"High Captain," Tali said, "I request that you remove Xen immediately from the chamber. She's obviously motivated by strong opinions of the geth and the negotiations and will say or do anything to stop them."

"Tali'Zorah," Xen shook her head. "Your father would be devastated if he saw you now. How can you stand with enemies of the Fleet?"

At the mention of her father's name, Tali turned on Xen. "The geth did not attack the _Rayya!"_

"I know," Xen growled. "Shall I show you who did?" Her voice strained with rage as she commandeered the overhead holo screens with her omnitool. A video feed of a lively corridor appeared, bustling with hundreds of quarians going about their work from the perspective of someone navigating their way through the crowd. Xen muted the audio feed. "Taken aboard the _Rayya,_ mere minutes before the barbaric act which threatened every living soul in this fleet."

The video feed shifted to the human members of the peace delegation being searched before boarding the shuttle _Xantas_. The quarian searching the wearer of the camera obviously saw it, but made no attempt to remove it.

On the screen, the person wearing the camera took his seat in the shuttle. Xen froze the image. "This footage came from a transmitter I had implanted in Ambassador Castillo's environment suit, so we could keep tabs on our visitors while they were aboard our ships. Captan Kar'Danna, may he rest in peace, and his security personnel cooperated without objection. Captain Kar'Danna voiced his reservations about allowing aliens aboard the _Ra__yya_ the first time a Cerberus ship was allowed to dock when Tali'Zorah vas _Normandy,"_ Xen emphasized the name of the human ship, "was tried for treason. If only his warnings had been heeded by this body, his chair might not be vacant today."

Xen pressed play. "What you are about to see are the last moments of Ambassador Castillo's life, and who was truly responsible for the destruction of the _Rayya."_

On the video screen, the Conclave watched in horror as the human reporter Eric Dahlberg disarmed and killed the Ambassador's quarian escort, then executed his human counterparts without a trace of hesitation or remorse. The camera kept recording after Castillo's body fell to the deck.

_"What's going on back there?" _asked the shuttle pilot over the intercom. _"Foya! Dannis!"_

_"Foya's gone crazy!" _the human shouted. _"She shot the Ambassador and Firaz! Call for help! Call for help right now!"_

Dahlberg disappeared from the camera's view behind a massive food container as the shuttle pilot made the frantic distress call. A strangled gasp filled the audio feed and the camera stirred on the floor. The human reappeared and lifted Castillo to his feet and dragged him to the aft ramp. _"Fassa! Open the door! I've got to get help for the Ambassador!"_

Warning lights flared to life around the aft hatch. A platoon of _Rayya's_ marines were about to come aboard. Dahlberg dropped the Ambassador and the camera view went dark as it faced the floor. Then, slowly, the view rose a few centimeters as the Ambassador regained consciousness. Slowly, painfully, Castillo dragged himself across the deck toward Dahlberg. His breath was loud and labored and choked with blood. Castillo stopped upon seeing the reporter huddled over an open instrument panel. _"Eric, whatever you're doing, please stop... Please stop, Eric..."_

Dahlberg closed his eyes, then smiled. When they opened again, it looked as though he were staring directly into the Conclave from the giant screen. _"If it's any comfort, you're dying a hero."_

The human twisted a knob, the feed went dark, and thirteen thousand quarians died. Xen ran it back to it's final frame, to that of the smiling human with his hand on the trigger. "It wasn't any mutiny," she told the silent audience. "It wasn't separatists trying to disrupt negotiations. It wasn't xenophobic soldiers taking matters into their own hands, or any of the other ridiculous theories being bandied about." She flung her hand toward the only human on the stage. "It was _Cerberus!"_

* * *

Back in the _Moreh's _comm center, Fassnol'Rundan gripped the armrests of his chair as the streams of encoded geth data turned from blocks of gibberish to streams of code. Hundreds, if not thousands of separate instruction pipelines were now visible, with more being isolated every second.

"Are you seeing this?" his junior tech asked from his chair.

"Every bit of it," Rundan answered. "Whatever the Admiral said, it sure got the geth talking again. This is going out to all stations, right? Have them concentrate on comparisons to the previous code base. Specifically anything referencing consensus and root commands."

"On it!"

Rundan sat back in his chair with his hands clasped in front of his mask. The more the geth platform communicated with the collective, the faster their code could be analyzed. All Admiral Xen needed to do was to keep talking...

* * *

Shepard stared at the screen overhead next to Tali, who also seemed too shocked to say anything. Xen shook her head at the lack of response from the _Normandy_ crew and began to pace, exaggerating her limp. "The humans sent an Ambassador mediate with the geth. The geth, we were told, insisted upon it. Yet it was neither the Alliance nor the Geth that proposed these peace talks. No. The idea was the brainchild of Commander Shepard of the _Normandy,_ the flagship of the Illusive Man himself. The same man who stands here now, insisting that we trust him!"

Low mumbles filled the room as Xen continued to circle Shepard. "And somehow, coincidentally, a _human_ saboteur found his way on board the _Rayya, _accompanying the very diplomat meant to deliver peace. Instead..." Xen shifted the video feed once more, showing the bow of the _Rayya_ exploding in a geyser of fire as seen from one of its escorts. Xen let it repeat as she turned to face the human. "They brought this. So tell me, Commander Shepard. What was the purpose of this attack? To assasinate the Admiralty Board? To destroy our largest liveship and coerce our people through starvation? To force us to accept peace with the geth? Or was it something more personal, because you blame me for what happened to your crew at Dashta?"

Shepard didn't reply, concentrating on his own omnitool as he sent a text message back to the _Normandy._ His hand trembled but he managed to send the message. He looked up, standing in the center of a ring of the top quarian commanders, surrounded by thousands of other captains of quarian ships. His first instinct was to demand evidence. Nothing in Xen's video feed specifically implicated Cerberus as the perpetrator. Given its source, it was just as likely that it had been fabricated by Daro'Xen to discredit the peace efforts or deflect attention away from Dashta.

But ever since the _Normandy_ returned from beyond the Omega Four relay, the Illusive Man pushed Shepard toward the Migrant Fleet. _War with the geth was imminent,_ he said. _The galaxy feared the geth and feared invasion,_ he said. _Get Legion and the geth to the Migrant Fleet any way possible, do what was necessary to facilitate peace between the geth and their creators, and humanity would reap the rewards_. Had it been a ruse from the start, to place Cerberus assets in the Migrant Fleet? If so, what was the point of eliminating the quarian command structure, not to mention disrupting their food production? At what point did killing over ten thousand people and sentencing millions of others to death by starvation benefit humanity?

Shepard looked back at his omnitool. Miranda had been monitoring the situation the entire time, and his message still shown unanswered on the screen. _Could Cerberus have done this? _Names of places and deeds flashed through Shepard's mind: Akuze. Pragia. Noveria. Binthu, Aite. All rogue operatives, splinter cells that had broken from the Illusive Man's control, operating on their own authority without regard to acceptable human conduct. Was Raheel-Leyya going to be dismissed as just another example of renegade Cerberus agents going too far? Would the Illusive Man, the one person who made counterattack against the collectors and the reapers possible, sacrifice an entire alien species if meant advancement for humanity?

Miranda's response was as immediate as it was terse: _Yes._

Shepard glanced around at thousands of eyes glowing behind the opaque face masks that surrounded them. The one that he should have looked to first was the only one he could not face. Tali stood frozen as he was, pondering the same questions. His reply to Miranda was almost as blunt as the Cerberus operative's response. _Find out. _And then, he tried to come up with an answer that would satisfy not only the Conclave, but a woman who had warned him about working with Cerberus from the start. Somehow he knew "_I don't work for Cerberus, they work for me" _wasn't going to satisfy anyone now.

"Creator-Admiral," Mobile Platform Two moved toward the organics standing before Captain Wylo's chair. "You are in error. Shepard-Commander is not responsible for the attack on the liveship _Rayya."_

Xen turned to face the advancing geth platform, her omnitool still pulsing with light on her arm. Its lines and blue color were unlike any geth she had seen before. "Well by all means," Xen said, a smile spreading beneath her mask. "If you have evidence to the contrary... I'm all ears."


	62. Endgame pt 2

Shepard held his breath. What could the geth possibly say that would change quarian opinion? Would they even believe it, considering the source?

The blue geth's flaps expanded and contracted as it spoke. "While it is true that the _Normandy_ was designed and built by Cerberus, Shepard-Commander is not a member of the organization, nor does adhere to its tenants."

"I see," Daro'Xen stared into Platform Two's camera with fascination as it spoke. She'd seen many vids of Tali'Zorah's famous talking geth, most sent by Tali herself after Commander Shepard adopted Legion into his crew. In fact, Shepard would be quite shocked to learn just how much information his beloved engineer sent to her father before his death, before whatever change of heart convinced the quarian that the geth were no longer a threat. Had Tali not switched sides, she could have easily assumed her father's position in the lab, and possibly surpassed him, but she chose a different path.

It didn't matter. Nor did it matter what the geth had to say about Commander Shepard's innocence as long as they kept accessing their network for information. Neither Tali nor Shepard realized the service they done by delivering upgraded geth to the fleet. Maybe after the geth were under quarian control, she would let them know personally.

Xen nodded. "So Cerberus brought a man back from the dead and gave him one of the most advanced ships ever created, both at a considerable cost I'd wager, for what reason? Because they liked him? Because they missed him?"

Scattered laughter echoed throughout the chamber.

Platform Two stayed focused on Xen. "Because they needed him."

"They needed him. For what?"

"To protect the human species."

The Conclave grumbled en masse. Xen smiled. "Yes, Cerberus is known throughout the galaxy for that particular agenda, aren't they? But I fail to understand how this clears Commander of culpability in the attack on the _Rayya_._"_

"We sought Shepard-Commander for the same purpose."

"What, to attack the _Rayya?"_

Platform Two's head flaps widened. "To preserve the geth collective."

Legion stepped directly in front of Xen, the lights around its head glowing red. "Kinesic evaluation indicates the the Creator-Admiral is disinterested in this information. We judge that the Creator-Admiral is deliberately attempting to incite discord amongst the Creator Conclave with this line of questioning."

Xen blinked with surprise. If it wouldn't have given support to Commander Shepard, she would have admitted to the machine that she was impressed at the accuracy of its assessment.

"No matter," Captain Wylo said from above them. "We're the ones who need to hear this information, not her. Admiral Xen, until your status is re-confirmed by this body, you will refrain from further commentary. Platform Two, please continue."

Blue turned toward the High Officers to present its case, leaving Xen with Legion. The _Normandy's_ geth remained focused solely on the Admiral.

"That was very rude of you, Legion," Xen said as if speaking to an unruly teenager. Any other quarian would probably have recoiled from the geth with its glowing red eyes. It was a holdover from their days as servants, designed to provide a visual cue that the unit was performing duties that might injure nearby quarians. Was the geth attempting to intimidate her now? She quivered in anticipation of seeing it and its blue companion disassembled, their programs and memories decompiled for all quarians to examine.

She glanced at Shepard. He didn't look back, concentrating on the geth platform in front of her, eyes wide with fear. _Is the geth going to attack,_ she wondered? How fortunate that would be if one of the geth units attempted to kill her in front of the entire Conclave. It would be far more damning than if Shepard tried it, and her soldiers would have an instant excuse to storm the stage and seize both geth platforms. But she wasn't that lucky.

"Legion," Shepard said.

The geth looked at Shepard, then back at Xen, its lights casting her helmet in a blood red glow. Its flaps undulated once, then it moved to stand next to Shepard and Tali, its eye turning back to its normal blue-white hue. The relief visible behind both Shepard's and Tali's masks was evident.

"Remarkable," Xen whispered to herself.

Captain Mirron was now addressing the blue geth. "Cerberus is only interested in protecting humans. You are implying that Shepard would protect you. How so?"

Platform Two relayed the information as requested. "A splinter faction of geth sought to join with Nazara, the old machine designated 'Sovereign' by organics, with the ultimate intention of reprogramming all geth to serve Nazara. Shepard-Commander, aided by Creator-Tali'Zorah and other members of the _Normandy_ collective, destroyed Nazara at the battle of the Citadel."

"Old machine?" Wylo asked, confused. "What's that?" He paged through Ambassador Castillo's report on his omnitool, searching for some reference to _Nazara._

"The heretic dreadnought that attacked the Citadel," Mirron said. "The so-called 'reaper...'"

Shepard sighed in his suit at the captain's tone, but didn't say anything. Now wasn't the place or time.

"Shepard destroyed it, so you wanted to find him because he destroyed your enemy?"

"Yes," Blue said. "Though at the time, Shepard-Commander was not aware of the difference between heretics and true geth. Given his proclivity for destroying geth, direct contact presented a great risk."

Mirron looked thoughtful. "Because you didn't know if he would destroy you, too?"

"Correct. In order to gauge the threat, we studied Shepard-Commander's behavior at length, and discovered a pattern. When confronted by hostility, Shepard-Commander always attempted to identify the source of the conflict and seek a peaceful resolution, resorting to violence only as a last resort. Alliance personality assessments and psychological profiles also suggested Shepard-Commander responded to unknown situations with curiosity and caution, but never fear. As such, we judged him to be an ideal candidate for first contact. However, Shepard-Commander disappeared before Platform One was able to locate him."

Platform Two turned its camera on the human. "When contact with Shepard-Commander was re-established, it was after he was given command of a Cerberus ship. This did not correlate with Shepard-Commander's personal history. He and the _Normandy_ collective were responsible for the destruction of five Cerberus installations and the deaths one-hundred and forty-six Cerberus operatives prior to his disappearance. For Shepard-Commander to be allied with Cerberus was not logical. However, Shepard-Commander's behavior since has been one-hundred percent consistent with established behavioral patterns, indicating that Shepard-Commander is not subservient to Cerberus, but is instead utilizing their resources to complete his mission."

Wylo cocked his head. "To fight the reapers."

"That's right," Shepard said, much to the Conclave's displeasure, but he didn't care. After all the progress with the Citadel, he didn't feel the need to skirt the issue any more. _Maybe it's about time the quarians got to read Mordin's report, too._

"If the Creator-Conclave is skeptical about the threat of the old machines," Blue said, "there are many other examples available. For instance, Shepard-Commander risked his own life and that of his crew during the recovery of quarian research vessel _Alarei_ from hostile geth forces_, _and engaged in subsequent defense of Creator-Tali'Zorah for treason."

"We remember," Wylo said, fixing Daro'Xen with a hard stare. From the sound of the rest of the Conclave, they remembered as well. "A tragic and needless waste of lives to be sure."

Xen shifted her weight to her good leg as she addressed the High Captain. She'd had about as much of the geth's hero worship as she could take, yet the High Officers seemed to be lapping it up. "Tragic, yes, Wylo. But a waste? You spit on the memories of Rael'Zorah and the thousands of our people who died serving this fleet! Rael died protecting our future! A future that doesn't require that we demean ourselves-"

"Admiral Xen," Wylo warned.

"-by voluntarily placing our species beneath machines!" Xen pointed to the pair of on the stage, "Making ourselves subservient, allowing outsiders to force their wills on us, devaluing ourselves to the point where our flesh and blood matters less than a few credits worth of plastic and cable!"

By this time the entire Conclave was on its feet, some shouting in support of the former Admiral, the rest against.

"Order!" Wylo yelled over the PA once more. "One more outburst, Xen, and I'll have you forcibly removed!"

That got an even angrier response from Xen's supporters in the crowd, and she pivoted around as if basking in sunlight before turning back to Wylo. "Shall we put that to a vote, High Captain?"

Wylo scanned the auditorium. Never before had he seen the captains so divided. But he was beginning to think the Legion had been correct in its earlier claim that Xen was intentionally stirring up trouble amongst the Conclave. "By law," he no longer shouted, but his voice still rang out over the PA. "Not even a _sitting_ admiral may dictate the proceedings of the Conclave. Or have you all forgotten where we are, and _who _we are? If anyone is trying to force their will here, Xen, it's you! And we will not tolerate it!"

The subtle appeal to unity, the use of _we_ instead of _I _in Wylo's appeal had the desired effect. The captains of the conclave slowly returned to their seats. "Now," Wylo continued. "Daro'Xen. You are welcome to observe these proceedings, but if you refuse to observe proper decorum, I _will_ have you removed."

Xen stared at Wylo in silence. But what no one could see was that she was not actually looking at the quarian, but through him. She barely even heard him over Rundan's voice from the _Moreh: "Re-compilation complete, Admiral. Sending you the updated executable. Ready to cut the feed at your command."_

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then said the word that could change the future of the quarians for centuries to come. "Execute." And then aloud, over her suit speakers, her voice full of sincere contrition. "Of course, High Captain. My apologies. The past two cycles have put a strain on all of us. Ashamed as I am to admit, it has taken its toll on me as well."

"Apology accepted," Wylo said.

The blue geth buzzed loudly. "Unable to negotiate handshake. Carrier lost."

Simultaneously, around the Conclave Chamber, thousands of quarians looked at their blank omnitools and HUDs with groans of dismay as a similar message displayed on their screens. _No signal._

Shepard's heart skip a beat. He looked around at Tali, as close to a panic as he would allow himself. But instead of surprise, his quarian engineer only looked her own omnitool with dismay, and when she did look at him, her eyes will full of apology. "Oh, of all the times, not now!"

"What's going on?" Shepard said over the squad tactical net. "Garrus, do you read?"

"They can't hear you," Tali shook her head. "Comm failure. The network is overloaded. Radio transmissions can't penetrate the hull and shielding, so everything has been going over the ship's network. Whenever the entire conclave is here, and with the entire fleet watching... sometimes the system overloads."

Shepard kept looking around at the quarians in the stands, all reduced to talking to their neighbors now instead of messaging one another. No one seemed to be in a panic, though. "Aren't there backups?"

Xen shook her head as she stood next to Tali. She did her best to convey annoyance, but her feed had not gone dead. In fact, Xen's was the only fully-functional omnitool in the chamber at the moment, as it was connected to a private network reserved for the Admiralty Board. "That probably was their backup. Unfortunately, not everything works as well as it should here, Commander."

"The last time this happened it was the cooling system," Tali said, pulling up schematics of the ship on her omni. "The entire comms bay nearly melted down before they cut it off."

"It took three cycles to repair," Xen said with a laugh, "Here, I can patch you into the Board's private node. We need to route support down there as soon as possible."

Without thinking, Tali nodded to Xen. For a moment, it was like any other time she'd come with the Admiralty Board to visit the Conclave. "Thank you, Admiral." Then she remembered who she was talking to.

"May I have your attention, please," Wylo announced over the PA as the other High Officers slumped in their seats. "We're experiencing a temporary network outage. Please remain in your seats and keep your transmissions to a minimum to allow for emergency traffic until we can get an idea of how long it will take to correct. Thank you."

"I'm not showing any temperature alarms," Xen said, comparing her omnitool to Tali's. "Captain Wylo, who's running your network ops today? Darant'Masa?"

Wylo's eyes narrowed. "My engineering staff will take care of it."

"Just offering my assistance," Xen glanced at Tali. "After all, we're in the middle of a rather important discussion, and you have two of the most proficient technicians in the Fleet on board."

Wylo clenched his teeth behind his mask but remained civil. "Thank you, Admiral. We'll take that under consideration."

Legion looked about at the surrounding organics. "May we be of assistance?"

Tali winced. If they were anywhere else, she could think of no one else she'd rather have troubleshoot a network problem. But on a quarian ship? "Better let us handle this, Legion. But thank you."

"On the contrary," Xen said, pulling up her omnitool in front of the geth. "I'd be very interested in seeing what they could do to help. We can't allow direct access, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to have them take a look at our diagnostics."

Shepard kept a wary eye on Daro'Xen as he began to pace. More than anything, he wanted to twist the treacherous Admiral's neck until it snapped, but somehow he knew that would make a poor impression on the Conclave during their most important push for peace. But technical issue or not, he didn't like being out of contact with the ship, especially not with Xen around. "Garrus, this is Shepard, do you read? Garrus, this is Shepard, do you copy?"

"Relax, Commander," Xen said. "This will all be taken care of in a few minutes, I promise." Shepard ignored her, so she turned to the pair of geth platforms, a smile behind her mask. "At least this gives us a chance to get to know each other. Who knows? By the time we finish we may be the best of friends."

* * *

"A network problem?" Miranda peered at the _Anba_ through _Normandy's _cockpit windows from her chair.

_"That's what they're telling us," _Garrus's voice sounded calm over the comm system. On the Kodiak, broadcasting from one _Anba's_ docking bays, the turian's signal was strong and clear. _"Some kind of overload. We're not able to reach anyone inside the Conclave chamber. Apparently, when you put ten thousand officers in a room together and they all want to talk at once. Their network couldn't handle it."_

"Have they tried turning it off and back on again?" Joker suggested.

Miranda scowled. "What about setting up some kind of relay, or repeater for direct transmission? Just for our people?"

_"Working on that now. If nothing else, I'll walk down to get in range and come back with a report. I'll knock on the door if I have to."_

"Do you think your minders will let you?"

_"Good question. But you know me. I'll ask nicely. How do things look out there?"_

"Quiet," Miranda said. "Hearing lots of chatter about the outage from our escorts. Apparently it's not that uncommon of an event. No one seems too worried."

_"Hmm. When no one else is worried, I find that's the best time to worry." _

Miranda's eyes darted from the windows to her sensor displays. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, which did nothing to calm her nerves. "You and me, both. Let me know what you find."

_"Will do. Vakarian out."_

* * *

Garrus poked his head out the Kodiak's hatch. The _Normandy's_ squad was scattered about the empty docking bay, chatting idly with the Fleet Marines on guard with them. The quarians all seemed fascinated by their alien guests, especially Grunt who towered above all of them. Everyone seemed calm and relaxed, which put Garrus on edge even more. "Kasumi, could I see you in the shuttle for a minute?"

The thief excused herself from her quarian counterpart and strolled back to the Kodiak. Garrus was sitting in the middle of the aft bench when she stepped inside. She stopped in front of him. "Command me, oh tall, dark, and handsome one."

"Just out of curiosity, how would you rate the security on this ship?"

"Oh my," Kasumi's eyes lit up behind the facemask of her helmet as she sat next to him. "Are we plotting something devious?"

"I prefer to think of it as proactive planning. What are we up against here?"

"Well, no offense to our hosts, but I'd put them on a level somewhere between a hundred-year-old cruise ship and a convenience store on Omega."

Garrus chuckled, then peered out the window just to be sure no one was watching. "How would you like to stretch your legs a little?"

* * *

Legion and Platform Two stood on either side of Xen as she projected a display of the _Anba's _systems in the air in front of her. She couldn't have planned it better. In order to gain control of the platforms, she needed to be within close proximity. And here she was, omnitool out, with both geth within arm's reach.

Every geth unit had several near-field, low power transceivers that provided a variety of positional and environmental inputs to the platform. While not directly capable of sending directives to the platform as a whole, each was still controlled by an individual geth processes responsible for relaying the information to the internal platform for processing. With the right exploit, instructions could be sent through those inputs, and with the right code, affected geth processes could be directed to overwrite the code in related processes, eventually overtaking the entire platform.

Because of this method of delivery, the virus could not be spread over long ranges, and built in protocols between individual platforms automatically rejected remote commands if not dictated by consensus. But, by interfacing an infected geth directly with a hub, where billions of networked processes shared data locally, the virus would no longer result in isolated runtimes vying for control. The instruction would become consensus itself. At that point, the new consensus could spread remotely and automatically, infecting other hubs as rapidly as electromagnetic waves and mass relays could carry it.

Xen's omnitool was already primed with the new code, programmed to listen for the geth's near-field transmission and broadcast an infected response only when queried. Then, as fast as the geth's processors would allow, the individual runtimes would accept the new order, and follow instructions without question.

_It was all that a creator could ask of its creation, _Xen thought as the geth next to her examined her omnitool.

"Probable cause for failure," Legion shared its analysis along with Platform Two. "Thermal exchange failure in server spaces caused by inadequate coolant circulation. Atmospheric exchange unable to compensate for increased load."

"We concur," the blue geth said. "Thermal readouts indicate reduced output from primary and secondary flow systems."

Xen found it odd that the two platforms actually talked to one another, rather than utilizing a direct network connection, but was mesmerized at being included in the conversation. If she survived the next few cycles, she knew she could spend the rest of her life exploring their minds. "That's what I think as well," Xen said. "Perhaps you could accompany a team down to take a look?"

"Negative, Creator-Admiral," Platform Two said. "We are not to leave the Conclave chamber except to return to the _Normandy."_

"We concur," Legion said.

"I see," Xen said. Was her exploit not transmitting, or were the geth not receiving? Or worse, was the re-written code being rejected? She had to keep trying. "Well, if it's a cooling system failure, there might be thermal damage to the networking components. Have a look at these trace files and tell me what you think..."

* * *

_"Hey, Shep!" _

Kasumi's voice in Shepard's ear made him jump inside his suit. He whirled around out of reflex, but the thief was nowhere in sight.

_"Psyche! I'm not there this time."_

"Glad to hear you anyway," Shepard said, "even though I'm just one step closer to that heart attack. Where are you?"

_"One deck down, about fifty meters aft. Goodness gracious, there are a _lot _of people on this ship! Can you read me okay?"_

"Loud and clear."

_"Great! Commander Shepard, Garrus Vakarian. Garrus Vakarian, Commander Shepard. I'm your host, Kasumi Goto, and we're live on the air!"_

_"Shepard," _Garrus said, _"Is everything alright in there?"_

Shepard let out a long sigh upon hearing the turian's smooth voice. "Roger, we're fine. What's your status?"

_"All quiet here. No problems other than this 'network outage.' Figured it would be best to find an alternate way to get in touch with you."_

"Good thinking. What about the _Normandy? _You been in contact with Miranda?"

_"Ask her yourself. This is a party line."_

_"Lawson here," _Miranda said, lacking Kasumi's or Garrus's informality. _"Situation normal. Nothing to report."_

"Okay then," Shepard said, relaxing a bit. "Maybe this is just a technical glitch after all. But Xen's in here."

_"Copy, Commander," _Miranda said. _"We saw everything up until the outage."_

_"Guess it would be bad form to kill her in front of the entire Conclave, wouldn't it?" _Garrus said.

_"Depends on how she dies," _Kasumi said. _"She could accidentally walk into an invisible knife five or six times."_

Shepard allowed himself a quick laugh. "I was thinking bashed to a pulp by not so invisible fists, but Garrus is right-"

_"I usually am."_

"-we can't deal with her until the Conclave has their vote. After that," Shepard cast a glance over at the quarian admiral standing next to the two geth, "she answers for Dashta one way or another."

* * *

As she worked with the geth, Daro'Xen cast the occasional glance toward the only human on deck. When he made eye contact, she could feel the hatred that burned within. She knew Shepard and his crew had nothing to do with the destruction of the _Raaya - _Shepard's self-righteousness made him too intractable to be involved - but his time with Cerberus was a valuable tool in keeping the Conclave from rushing to his side, and it had worked long enough for the teams on _Moreh _and other loyal ships to complete their research. The delay caused by the sabotage to _Anba's_ communication network had bought a few more minutes at most, but even that extra time was about to run out. Xen would have to make her move soon, or the opportunity would be lost forever.

That Shepard now appeared to be talking to himself beneath his helmet meant the resourceful Commander must have found some way to communicate with his crew, just as Xen had. It was regrettable that he had chosen to side with machines rather than his fellow organics. But there was no going back now, no way to undo what had come before. What Shepard would do in retaliation for Dashta, Xen couldn't imagine. What lengths he would go to prevent her from achieving her goals with the geth were incalculable. She had to exploit the only weakness she ever knew Shepard to have.

But Xen needed control of the geth first. Without their submission, nothing else mattered. "I left some network analyzers in one of the starboard antechambers," Xen tried again. "Would you two be so kind as to go and get them for me?"

"Negative," Legion said. "As previously indicated, we are not to leave the Conclave chamber except to return to the _Normandy. _Creator-Admiral, your omnitool is emitting low-power transmissions in a peculiar fashion. Is it malfunctioning?_"_

Xen felt sweat accumulating on her forehead, and her suit fan stepped up to compensate. Each attempt to get the geth to follow simple instructions had failed. They should have picked up on the code by now, or if it was received, given some indication if only to report the intrusion. Had the geth encryption not been broken as Rundan had reported?

The blue geth's aperture widened, then narrowed. "We will retrieve them for you. Where is the antechamber located?"

Legion turned its camera eye on Platform Two.

Xen gasped, a smile on her face. "How very kind of you! But just give me a moment to check on the status of the network." She typed a message into her omnitool. "It may not be necessary after all."

_Take them out,_ was all her message said.

* * *

In the cockpit of the human scout ship _Carcassonne, _Ebo Adebayo poked at the holo screen on the sensor console and stifled a yawn. Their vessel hovered close to the Raheel-Leyya relay with dozens other ships from Alliance and Citadel space, each carrying reporters or relief workers and even some curious onlookers all wanting to enter the nebulae of ships known as the Migrant Fleet. Every ship that had entered the system had been intercepted by the quarian navy and corralled into the space around the relay, under the close watch of some fifty quarian corvettes and frigate sized ships. While the quarians might be able to enforce a no-fly zone within their fleet, they couldn't keep anyone from coming into Raheel-Leyya without blockading the relay on the other side, and that was a guaranteed way to attract a Citadel or Terminus task force. The quarians didn't want that kind of trouble for a bunch of troublesome sightseers.

But the _Carcassonne_ was no ordinary scout. It and five other Cerberus ships scattered around the relay arrived days before with the intent of retaking the _Normandy_. Except the rouge Cerberus ship made for the heart of the Migrant Fleet immediately upon arrival, bypassing them completely. Commander Shepard and his crew were either very lucky or very well informed. Adebayo figured it was the former, as he'd studied every single one of Shepard's mission reports in detail. If the ex-Spectre had caught wind of the double-cross, Adebayo was pretty sure Shepard wouldn't take it lying down, and the resulting fight wouldn't resemble anything like the planned one-sided ambush.

At this range, the _Normandy _wasn't even visible on his screen, lost in the fuzz of the signatures of tens of thousands of quarian ships in the system. It was no matter, though. If the _Normandy_ ever planned to leave Raheel-Leyya, it would have to come to the relay to do it. Cerberus would take their prize on the way out.

Adebayo stretched in his seat and wondered how much longer he would have to stare at the same sensor readings on his console and swirling relay rings outside his cockpit window.

"Insect antenna," his pilot said, running her hand through her hair. "Six letters. Third letter 'E'."

Adebayo scowled. "Anything else to go on?"

"Nope. Just the letter E."

"What's it start with?"

The pilot paused long enough to roll her eyes. "A blank."

"Hmm," Adebayo scratched his head. "What have we got that goes across?"

"Let's see, nineteen across, five letters-"

A bright white flash outside the window made both of them flinch.

"Damn," the pilot said, immediately activating her control pads. "What was that?"

"Stand by," Adebayo said, examining his scanners. The sparkle of a debris field replaced a solid sensor track on his screen seven hundred kilometers away. "Somebody just got lit up. Directly ahead, shade under eight hundred klicks."

The pilot powered up the ship's barriers and drive core. Confused chatter started to fill the airwaves. "Who was it? One of ours?"

"No," Adebayo said. "Everyone's still in place." He rewound the sensor track and locked in on the missing ship's position. "Looks like it was a volus ship... the MV _Pollus Maskawa._ Holy shit, the quarians just blew it to scrap!"

"Why the hell would anyone attack the volus?"

"Wait a minute..." Adebayo squinted at his readouts. New contacts blossomed all over the scan, with trajectories coming from multiple vectors out of the quarian flotilla. The strength of the sensor returns made his mouth go dry. Over twenty ships decelerated from lightspeed, some registering hundreds of thousand tonnes in mass, and still more were coming. They were large enough that he could make some of them out through the windows. They were no mere transports or other support ships, but cruisers and dreadnoughts of the Flotilla, all making for the relay. Even as he watched, more ships jumped in.

_"This is the Migrant Fleet Navy. We are assuming control of this transit corridor. Alien ships will follow our escorts to a safe sector away from the relay. Any ships attempting to transit the relay will be destroyed. This is your only warning."_

Adebayo blinked. Considering the vector of the inbound ships and all the other vessels around them, they still had a shot at the relay. Still more quarian ships appeared behind. This wasn't just a patrol, it was a convoy, and he knew substantially sized quarian movement could block the relay for days.

"Get us out of here," Adebayo whispered.

"We should call the captain!"

"Get us out of here now!"

Hearing the panic in Adebayo's voice, the pilot swerved the ship around to align with the relay. Inertial computers re-calculated the ships mass down to a picogram as it turned, which in turn fed directly into the relay to calculate the jump. The _Carcassonne_ sparkled with energy as the mass relay's core spun faster and faster. Particle beams from the advancing quarian navy converged on the Cerberus ship, and the relay propelled a cloud zero-mass debris hundreds of light years through space.

* * *

"Woah," Joker said, leaning forward in his seat to examine the comm display.

"What is it?" Miranda asked from her chair.

EDI's avatar pulsed above the console. "We have lost all telemetry with MV _Pollus Maskawa."_

Miranda almost ordered a diagnostic on the _Normandy's_ communication array, but the chance of a second catastrophic comm failure in the span of a few minutes was impossible. "Charge all weapons, full power to the barriers, hold position."

"Eezo blooms across the board," Joker said. "Reactors firing up all around us. Getting movement... five, correction, six, now nine heavies accelerating out of position..."

"Shepard," Miranda said into the comm. "We've lost contact with-"

"GARDIAN activated," EDI announced. "Missiles inbound, multiple tracks."

"Joker, GO," Miranda shouted. "Pilot's discretion!"

_"Say again your last?" _Shepard asked.

Miranda hated giving incomplete reports, but she didn't know who was firing at them or what their target was. So she relayed the only thing she knew for sure as the sudden thrust of _Normandy's_ engines pushed her deep into her chair. "We're under attack!"

* * *

On the floor of the Conclave, Xen watched Shepard from the corner of her eye. He idly surveyed the chamber with an almost relaxed posture when suddenly his hand went to his helmet, eyes wide behind his as he barked commands through his private communicator.

"Captain Wylo," he shouted as he ran to where the High Captain stood. "We're under attack!" Then, as to underscore his words, warning klaxons echoed throughout the Conclave chamber. Nine thousand quarian captains jumped to their feet at once, shouting over one another as they tried to coax any information from their useless comm systems. Above them, the giant holo displays hanging from the ceiling still showed the frozen image of the _Rayya_ in its death throes.

Wylo, who had been talking Tali and another engineer, hurried back to his chair and reached up to the armrest for the hard line feed into the _Anba's _comm network and patched it to his helmet. Other High Officers did the same.

"What?" Wylo shouted over the warning sirens as he listened. "It's got to be a mistake. Tell them to terminate the attack immediately!"

"What is it?" Shepard demanded. "What's going on?"

The High Captain could barely comprehend the words he was about to say. "Ships of the Navy have engaged the _Normandy."_

A second alarm sounded, easily drowning out the first and every omnitool and every heads-up display in a quarian helmet glowed with the same message.

_ALL SHIPS - ALL STATIONS - - IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED FOR EMERGENCY FLEET RELOCATION _

Xen watched calmly as the human stormed toward the High Captain, his favorite quarian Tali at his side, while all around the Captains of the Conclave rushed down the stadium aisles, flowing into the exit corridors on their way to the hangar decks. With the relocation order, every ship in the fleet would be getting underway. Anyone trying to get off the ship now would find themselves blocked in the corridors, the elevators, and in the docks themselves, unable to depart... unless they had prepared for such an emergency.

In front of Xen, both geth turned to follow Commander Shepard. "Excuse me, Blue, Legion," she called to them, "Would you come talk to me for a moment?"

"Negative," Legion said and continued on its way. "Highest priority, safety of _Normandy_ collective."

Platform Two, however, stopped and returned to where Xen stood. She beckoned to it, and walked back in front of her. She looked the platform over from head to toe, then around at Legion, who kept on toward its human commander. Whatever the reason the code did not take with the other platform didn't matter. All she needed was one. And by the gods and the homeworld, if the Platform Two responded as she hoped, everything that had transpired with the _Rayya, _and everything that was about to happen with the _Normandy_ will have been well worth it.

The geth's brilliant spotlight reflected in her mask, and she smiled like a mother looking upon her child. "Would you come with me, please?"

"Of course, Creator-Admiral," Blue said, and followed the quarian quietly to the stairs at the edge of the stage to merge seamlessly into the stream of quarians heading for the exits. But rather than waiting on the crowd pushing to get to the corridors beyond, Xen lead Blue through the door of one of the many antechambers surrounding the stage, where dozens of the Admiral's most trusted crew waited to greet them.

* * *

The Illusive Man sat bathed the glowing red light of Anadius, a glass of whiskey in one hand, a lit cigarette in his other. Without a single holo panel in front of him, he stared into the luminous patterns of prominences and flares which stirred across the star's atmosphere. Even though the AI which watched over the station recognized his pensive state, it still interrupted without hesitation, as it was programmed to do.

"We have received a transmission from our fleet at Raheel-Leyya," Eva said. "At least one of our ships, the _Carcassonne_, has been destroyed."

The Illusive Man took a deep drag on his cigarette. Smoke poured from his nose and mouth as he replied. "By the _Normandy, _I presume?"

"No. The quarian navy is massing at the relay as we speak. Over one hundred ships reported before we lost contact with the remainder of our fleet. Surveillance indicates that contact with all traffic around the relay has similarly, and suddenly, ceased. Data from neighboring sectors indicate the systematic destruction of all comm buoys in the Vahallan Threshold."

"The smoke screen before the charge." The Illusive Man exhaled his own cloud as if to emphasize his words. He sat up straight. "Alert Doctor Archer, and make sure his team is ready."

"Yes sir," Eva said.

The Illusive Man watched the smoke in the air before him dissipated, revealing the sea of fire beyond. What happened in the next few hours would shape the future of the humanity, and the galaxy, forever...


	63. Keelah Se'lai

_Normandy_ rolled starboard on its wing, slicing neatly between a pair of quarian bulk carriers lumbering in its way. Joker had no time to celebrate as the _Normandy's_ new trajectory flung it right into the path of a battered container ship directly behind. The giant transport reversed thrust, illuminated in a bright glow as all of its anti-collision beacons flared to life.

"Shit!" Joker pitched _Normandy's _nose all the way up and kicked in the mains for a split second. _Normandy_ slid over the top of the cruiser with ease, but the space beyond was just as crowded. "This is worse than flying to the damn collector base." Except now, instead of oculus, they were being chased by quarian warships and he wasn't navigating his way through a field of uninhabited derelicts this time. One mistake in maneuvering could end thousands of lives.

He wrenched the ship to port, skirting around another transport. "At least they're not shooting anymore."

Miranda kept her eyes on her displays, partially to maintain track on their pursuers, but mainly so she wouldn't see each and every close call through the cockpit window. The quarian navy vessels had dropped behind, but were still chasing the _Normandy _through the maze of ships. "They blew their chance. Now they're trying to flush us out. As soon as we get clear we need to be ready to jump. Hey! Watch your velocity!"

"It's not us," Joker said through clenched teeth. "We're not moving faster, _they _are! The whole damn flotilla just kicked it into high gear."

"What?"

EDI's dots pulsed in time with her voice. "The Migrant Fleet is underway, on a direct course for the Raheel-Leyya relay."

* * *

_"This is Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, sole surviving member of the Admiralty Board and acting commander of the Fleet Navy. The negotiations with the geth have been terminated. The navy is carrying out the last orders of the Admiralty Board. Contact your escorts for vectors and follow their instructions. Message repeats: This is Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh..." _

"What the hell is going on out there?" Shepard looked as though he was ready to break Wylo over his knee, once again facing the prospect of his beloved _Normandy_ coming under attack while grounded and unable to do anything about it.

_"We're outpacing them," _Miranda said to Shepard over his comm, relayed from the Kodiak. _"They're holding fire for now but that won't last long. We're putting as much distance possible between them and us._"

"Keep going," Shepard said. "But don't let the hounds run you to the hunters!"

_"Roger that. Commander, are we clear to engage?"_

Shepard looked at Tali whose eyes were wide with shock. He looked away. "Do what it takes to defend yourself. Keep me updated as you can."

_"Roger that, Shepard."_

"Garrus, status?"

_"We're secure here," _Garrus replied. _"The marines here have taken no action against us."_

How long would that last, Shepard wondered, if the _Normandy _actively engaged the Migrant Fleet Navy? If quarians started dying in the gunsights of a Cerberus ship, the entire Flotilla would likely turn on them.

Captain Wylo held up a hand as he tried to shut out the pandemonium which had engulfed the Conclave chamber and listen to his bridge crew. Dozens of captains now swarmed the floor, hoping to use the High Officers' hard-line connections to contact their ships. Shepard could only hear half of Wylo's conversation. "Tell them to cease fire immediately! And why are we under way? We didn't give the order to move! What relocation order? Who authorized this?"

Who indeed? Shepard, Tali and Legion all turned toward the sole surviving member of the Admiralty Board. But the spot where Xen stood was now occupied with captains trying to get to the High Officers. Xen and Platform Two was nowhere in sight.

"Shit," Shepard said and pushed his way through the throng of quarians. Taller than most, he looked over their helmeted heads for a sign of polished blue metal. The squad tactical display showed no sign of the blue geth. It was either out of range, or out of commission. "Blue! Blue, do you read me? Come in! Wylo! Captain Wylo! You have to lock down the ship! Wylo!"

More quarians pressed onto the stage, all shouting to be heard, the others choking the exits as they fought to get to the hangar decks to return to their ships which were now streaming toward the relay without them. The entire quarian government body, sitting peacefully in their seats only minutes before, was now a panicked mob. Shepard knew preventing anyone from leaving the _Anba_ at this point was impossible. He pushed his way back to Wylo, ignoring the indignant cries of the quarian captains he shoved aside.

Under siege from quarians on all side, Wylo shouted to be heard. "The relocation order is invalid! Put the Vice Admiral of Naval Operations on, now!"

"Captain!" Shepard hoisted himself up on Wylo's elevated chair, above the crowd. "Lock down the ship! Xen's trying to get away!"

Wylo yelled, but not to Shepard. He had bigger problems to worry about. He waved to the other High Captains. "Contact your ships and your clans! Tell them to hold position! We are not moving! Comms, where's the Vice Admiral? Get him online now!"

Tali turned in small circles between Shepard and the raging mob. Whatever chance there had been of getting control of the situation was long gone. Xen's relocation order didn't specify the course the Migrant Fleet was to take, but it could only be one destination. The last remaining Admiral had simultaneously hijacked the peace negotiations and sent the Migrant Fleet on a suicide run while crippling the only body that could stop her. And now the _Normandy_ was under attack by the Fleet Navy itself.

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said, looking up at Shepard. "We must locate and neutralize Platform Two."

"I know, Legion!" Shepard snapped. "Did you see which way they went?" He turned up his suit's on external speaker. "Did anyone see the blue geth leave the chamber?"

The Conclave ignored Shepard's plea for information. Tali blinked. The only hope of preventing the annihilation of the geth or outright war was to keep Xen from getting off the _Anba. _She climbed up next to Shepard on Wylo's platform and patched herself into the command console. The Conclave might be paralyzed, but she wasn't. "Security! There is a geth loose the ship, heading for the docking bays!" Wylo tried to push her away, but Shepard grabbed his arms and wrestled him back from her, and Tali held onto the chair's armrest with all her might. "_Outbreak, outbreak, outbreak!"_

* * *

Xen led her science team down the corridor to the forward docking bay behind a phalanx of quarian marines with no resistance to block them. The sight of armed soldiers themselves would have been enough to clear the corridors in their path, but the blue geth platform walking among them would make even the bravest quarian think twice about approaching. All it really took, though, was getting out before the chaos spilled from the Conclave chamber into the halls. Anyone trying to follow would have to push through the throng of thousands of quarians behind them.

"Creator-Admiral," Platform Two said. "Shepard-Commander is once again requesting our position and status."

"No response, Blue. You are not to transmit under any circumstances, understood?"

"Understood, Creator-Admiral."

The docking bay was directly ahead. Only a few more steps, and they would be free. Or so Xen thought before the emergency bulkhead slammed shut in front of the column and a shrill alarm sounded that could make any quarian panic: _geth outbreak._

The civilians now trapped in the corridor scrambled to get as far from the geth as possible, with families and clan members trying to shield one another from the lone geth sealed in there with them. All throughout the ship, every compartment was now isolated with non-combatants seeking shelter, while every able-bodied quarian with a weapon would press toward the affected areas, bulkhead by bulkhead. And Platform Two would be destroyed on sight, along with all the hopes of reclaiming the homeworld.

Xen raised her hands as she motioned her escort forward to the bulkhead. "Everyone stay calm. This is not an outbreak. This unit cannot hurt you. It is under our direct control. I guarantee my marines will keep you safe. Isn't that right, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am," Parrar said loudly, hefting his rifle. The sight of Fleet Marines always had a calming, reassuring affect on any ship. "You folks don't worry. The Admiral's got it well in hand."

Xen approached the security panel next to the bulkhead where a crowd of quarians parted to let her through. "Locked out," one of her team said. "No overrides except from the bridge."

"I don't think so," Xen brought up her omnitool and scanned the door's interface. "Rank has its privileges."

As she and her team worked on the door, Xen glanced over to see a quarian couple with their backs to the wall, their child behind them. She smiled at the young girl. "Don't be frightened. It's just a machine. And soon, they won't be able hurt anyone ever again."

* * *

Wylo pulled away from Shepard, but only because Shepard let him go. "Have you lost your mind?" He dropped from his platform. "Get security in here! Now!"

Tali scanned Wylo's control screens. "The ship is locked down, Shepard. But it won't last long. Xen will be able to override the lockout."

"How?"

"She's in charge Special Projects. She wrote most of the network countermeasures in use today. She's quite the technician."

"Perfect," Shepard glanced around the chamber, where all of the remaining captains of the Conclave were trapped. "Can you get a fix on Blue?"

Tali tapped into the ship's live network feed where citizens on the ship could make reports to the bridge. Message after message reported a confirmation of the lockdown and request for further action. And then, she got a hit. "Section 002, one hatch aft of the docking bay. Geth sighted just as the doors came down." She sent Shepard and Legion a copy of the alert, pinpointing it on the deck plan of the _Anba. _At least a dozen bulkheads and one hundred meters separated the forward compartments from the Conclave Chamber, with thousands of Conclave captains and civilians trapped in between. But there were many side passages.

Shepard's eyes flashed over the schematic. "What's the quickest way there?

"We'll never make it in time," Tali said. "Xen will be through in a matter of minutes. Our only hope is that _Anba's_ security will be able to destroy Blue before they get to the shuttle."

"Garrus, do you read?" Shepard called over his comm, but even the link through Kasumi was now dead.

"Communications blocked," Legion said. "Standard creator procedure during outbreak scenarios. Station to station communications are available over hard line connections only."

Shepard dropped back to the floor. "Then we've got to get back to the shuttle in case they get through. Tali, can you clear us a route?"

"I'll try."

"STEP AWAY FROM THE PLATFORM!" the amplified command made everyone on the stage move away from the High Captain's chair. A squad of marines surrounded the _Normandy_ crew, weapons leveled, with Wylo and several other High Captains behind them.

The guards yanked Tali from the elevated chair and she staggered back to be caught by Legion. Shepard turned to the soldiers, his hands held high. "No! Stop! Captain Wylo, Listen to me!"

"Remove them!" Wylo climbed up to his chair, killed Tali's connection to his console and punched the appropriate commands to regain control.

"Listen to me!" Shepard shouted. Without weapons, he only had words at his disposal. "Xen is about to backstab the only ones the galaxy who were willing to help you, and there's no guarantee it will even work. If she fails, the geth will retaliate. You know that! They'll strike back, and this time they won't stop!"

Captain Fasha stepped forward behind the screen of marines and pivoted around as she yelled to be heard over the commotion. "Then we should be helping her! If Xen succeeds the geth fall once and for all! We should be joining her, not fighting her!"

A loud cheer sounded from a full half of the captains still trapped in the chamber. Wylo looked to Captain Fasha, then down to the human, his quarian chief engineer and their geth crewmate.

"Move!" the lead quarian guard raised his rifle.

"Please!" Shepard shouted, looking up at Wylo. "The geth want peace. They want to end the war. You know it! Captain Wylo, that's why you came aboard the Normandy in the first place! You talked me into coming here, remember? You must have believed! Or were you a part of Xen's plan from the start?"

Wylo's head snapped back to Shepard and the _Normandy_ crew, surrounded now by _Anba's_ security team. He had served nearly two decades on the High Council, with five years as High Captain. Never once had anyone questioned his integrity. But now, this human dared insult him on the deck of the quarian capitol, in front of all the remaining Captains, claiming he was in league with the rogue Admiral who had assumed control of the entire Fleet, forcing the first armed standoff in the history of the Conclave. But the human wasn't completely off target. How had everything gotten so far out of control?

He looked about the ring of the High Officers. Some, like Fasha, glared at the human, shouting for the marines to remove him. But others, even captain Mirron who asked the geth the questions they'd been waiting three centuries to ask, weren't looking at Shepard or even Legion. They were looking at _him,_ waiting for an answer. It came down to a simple choice. Did he believe Xen's plan would lead them to victory? Or death?

He looked at the trio below his chair; a human, a geth, and a quarian together, facing down the barrels of a dozen weapons pointed at their heads, closed his eyes and sighed. "Sergeant at Arms."

"Sir," a quarian woman in an ornate golden environment suit stepped forward.

"Take charge of the security detail and see that the _Normandy_ crew makes it safely back to their shuttle." Wylo punched at his command console, ignoring the angry objectors around him. "Do it quickly. I'll clear the central corridor ahead of you."

"Aye, sir!" The Sergeant at Arms turned to Shepard. "Commander?"

Time was of the essence, but Shepard paused just long enough to give the quarian captain a nod. "Thank you, Captain."

Wylo only stared down at his console. "She's made it to the docking bay. You'd better hurry."

* * *

The Admiral's docking bay was designed to hold the personal runabouts for the Admiralty Board. Now, only one occupied the hangar. Another small ship docked next to Xen's, the _Littano,_ had delivered her marines and science team. Both were powered and prepped for departure.

"They're going to come for me," Xen told Lieutenant Parrar. "Wait until we're underway, then make directly for the relay. A vanguard is holding it until the rest of the the heavy fleet is in position for transit, but they'll let you through."

"Aye, Admiral." Parrar and his detail stopped in front of the larger of the two ships.

"Creator-Admiral," Platform Two said. "Shepard-Commander repeats his request for our position and status."

"You will not transmit," Xen said. "As a matter of fact, now that we're here, I'd like you to power down now."

"Of course, Creator-Admiral," the geth said. The lights on its face faded and its head slumped in front of its chest.

"Good night, Blue," Xen caressed the side of its neck. "When you wake up, we'll all be home. Take it aboard."

Lieutenant Parrar stood at attention as his soldiers carried the deactivated geth up the _Littano's_ cargo ramp. "Keelah se'lai, Admiral."

Xen smiled sadly. _Keelah se'lai..._ _By the home world I hope to see some day. _ Even without her body consumed by infection, her chance of seeing Rannoch after her next encounter with Commander Shepard and his crew was not promising. But it didn't matter. Not as long as Parrar made it to is destination with his cargo intact. She bowed her head as much from exhaustion as anything. "Lead them home, Lieutenant. Get moving."

* * *

Joker should have been thrilled to see the empty patch of space in front of the _Normandy,_ but he wasn't. The ships of the Migrant Fleet were both the _Normandy's _worst enemy and its best defense. While every turn risked a collision with another quarian ship, the pursuing quarian task force wasn't about to risk hitting one of their own vessels to take out the _Normandy_. And the number of ships in the chase increased with every passing minute. Time was running out.

Worse, the _Normandy _was approaching the picket ships at the edge for fleet, meaning another dozen ships were closing from in front. Shepard had been right... Hounds to the hunters.

"Prepare to engage stealth systems," Miranda said. "Begin jump calculations."

"They'll still have visual," Joker said. "From, like... every direction!"

"Can't be helped," Miranda knew that, long before she gave the order. If they couldn't throw off the quarians, they were finished. Thanks to he upgrades over the past year, _Normandy_ could take on five or six of the quarian Navy's finest ships, but now four times that number were tracking them, with more vectoring in. Opening fire with the Thanix would have been the best bet, but the danger of hitting vessels beyond any target made that impossible. At least the quarians had been similarly careful. But now that the fleet was thinning, the quarians smelled blood and had the numbers to draw it.

_But not without a fight,_ Miranda thought. What was going to happen once _Normandy_ fired, she wondered? So far, only the Migrant Fleet Navy was involved. What if every contact on the board turned hostile at once? And what of Shepard and the rest of the squad on the _Anba, _when news that another Cerberus ship fired on the quarian Navy spread through the fleet? What would happen to all of them? What other choice did they have?

"EDI, target vessels in front of us and along our vector and prepare to engage. Joker, power to maximum as soon as we're clear."

* * *

Captain Borsha'Yon vas Sabbine's eyes flashed back and forth between her tactical display and the weapons panel. Her cruiser's armaments were easily the match of any Council ship, his crew amongst the best in the entire Navy. Now she and the eleven ships in her squadron raced toward the _Normandy,_ about to emerge from the retreating Migrant Fleet.

"I give them credit," she said to the bridge crew as the countdown to fire ticked closer to zero. "They're not trying to hide behind our ships."

"Or holding them hostage," her XO said. "Time to target fifteen seconds."

"Stand by to fire," Borsha'Yon said over the squadron link.

"Bridge, Comms! Priority traffic from the High Officers of the Conclave, again ordering us to break off the attack. Repeat, we are to disengage the _Normandy! _Sounds like they're going crazy over there._"_

The XO watched his captain as the seconds ticked down. "Ma'am?"

Borsha'Yon gripped her armrests as her envirosuit compensators all kicked to their max settings to offset her body's sudden rise in pulse and temperature. The order from the last living Admiral of the Board was to destroy the _Normandy. _But the civilian officers of the Conclave were countermanding that order.

"Ten seconds. Orders, Captain?"

_"This is High Captain Kanna'Wylo vas Tundon," _the Conclave was now broadcasting in the clear. _"The _Normandy _has been wrongfully identified as an enemy of the Fleet by Daro'Xen vas Moreh. Daro'Xen has been stripped of her command by this body and no longer has legitimate authority in this fleet. Any orders passed down from her through Fleet Command are invalid. Do not engage! Acknowledge!" _

The weapons officer's targeting reticle changed to green."Target now outside of Migrant Fleet envelope. We have a clear shot!"

"Ma'am!" the XO rose from his seat.

"Hold fire," Borsha'Yon held up her hand. "Signal the squadron to hold fire!"

The _Sabbine's_ gunnery officer moved his finger away from the trigger, a move that was recreated simultaneously across a dozen ships closing on the Cerberus ship. He might not have agreed with the decision, but orders were orders...

* * *

"Quarian targeting systems have disengaged," EDI announced.

"And they're veering off," Joker added, sweat dripping from his brow.

Miranda watched a series of lines resolve on her screen, as the quarian ships in their path took an evasive course to the side. Behind, the pursuing quarian ships slowed. Reprieve or no, sandwiched between two quarian fleets was not where she wanted to be. "Go dark and punch it, Joker! Before they change their minds!"

The starfield outside the cockpit window shifted blue as the _Normandy_ streaked away into the darkness.

* * *

"Heavy traffic today," Rolston deftly jetted the Kodiak down the river of quarian ships streaming toward the Raheel-Leyya relay. Their target, Xen's flagship _Moreh, _stayed far off the main line of advance, forcing Rolston to weave through dozens of ships to avoid collision as they approached. Xen's shuttle had escaped and docked with the _Moreh_ even before the Kodiak was able to launch.

Shepard watched the _Anba's _blocky form disappear from the side window. The ship had an impressive array of defensive weapons, but no matter how much he pleaded with the High Captain during their sprint to the shuttle, Shepard could not convince Wylo to bring down Xen's runabout after it launched. No quarian would attack an Admiral's ship, especially not one held in as high regard as Xen.

He might not be happy about that, but Shepard had to be grateful that Wylo halted the attack on the _Normandy. _But even though direct conflict had been avoided, the _Normandy _had been chased a good distance away, and would certainly be fired upon if it approached again. Mobile Platform Three had not been so lucky, having been destroyed during _Anba's_ pre-meditated communication failure, a necessary move to prevent the geth from learning about the coming assault. So for now, the Kodiak was on its own.

While Xen had been stripped of her rank, it was obvious that a large percentage of the Navy was still following her to the relay. The promise of retaking the homeworld was too much for crews who had trained their whole lives for that mission to give up. It was the mission every quarian soldier lived for. And where the military fleet went, so did the civilian ships. In this part of space, there was no one to protect them, and they would be welcome nowhere else.

Shepard looked over his shoulder into the crew compartment where eight of the most dangerous fighters in known space were gearing up for boarding action. Tali had pulled up what schematics she had on the _Moreh, _one of the few ships in the Migrant Fleet that had kept its original purpose since launch. Long and tubular, draped with sensor arrays and dishes, it had been a premiere long range exploration vessel in its prime. Now, some four thousand quarians lived aboard, conducting research that was to someday bring their people home. How many of them were armed combatants? How many of them would fight, and die, to protect Xen's prize?

"This is going to be a slaughter," Shepard said. Though he couldn't see it, Tali looked up from her seat on the shuttle's aft bench, eyes filled with equal measures of horror and sadness.

"Look on the bright side," Rolston said, pointing to the sensor display. The _Moreh_, like the rest of the Migrant Fleet was steaming towards the relay, surrounded by a security picket that made the one around the _Anba_ look positively pathetic. "We may not even get close enough to dock. The approach is gonna be hairy, sir."

Shepard winced at the space around them grew even more crowded. "How's your barnstorming?"

"Guess we'll find out," Rolston said. "We're about to enter their sensor envelope. Prepare for extreme maneuvers. It's gonna be hairy. Just sayin'"

"Everybody strap in," Shepard shouted over his shoulder and took the co-pilot's seat.

"Woah," Rolston winced at a flare of light on the long-range sensor display. The transponders of a group of quarian ships disappeared. "Spike in mass effect emissions at the relay. Jesus, look at that wave, close to a million tonnes! Must have been a hundred ships..."

"Beachhead_. _Their job is to secure the transit point at the next relay." But _Moreh's _blip, and the blips of her escorts, were still far out of range of the relay. "How we doing?"

"Holding steady on course. We're still closing."

Shepard scowled at the display. Xen held the key to the geth collective in the palm of her two-fingered hand, and in order for it to be a surprise, she would have gotten it through the relay as quickly as possible. Waiting for any reason would give the geth more time to recognize the danger and react. Yet quarian ships had already begun their transit without the _Moreh._

"Nice of her to wait for us," Rolston said.

"That's not a word I'd use to describe her. How long to intercept?"

"Two minutes, thirty seconds."

And still, the _Moreh_ and her picket ships still maintained course.

"Break off the approach," Shepard said.

"Sir?"

"Get us out of the pattern. Do it!"

"Aye!" Rolston found a clear vector on his screens and began threading the Kodiak toward open space.

"Commander," Garrus's voice drifted from behind. "What's going on?"

"They _are _waiting for us," Shepard said. "Xen knew we'd follow. She knew it. She got Blue out on another ship in that first wave. They're already gone." He punched the console in front of him, making Rolston jump. "_Normandy, _this is Shepard. Send us your position. We lost Platform Two. We're coming in."

From the aft bench of the crew compartment came a long, low buzz. All the members of the squad turned to look at Legion. It contorted in its chair, hands clenching and unclenching, its face plates and aperture trying to work in six different directions at once as all of its processes diverted their runtimes to solving this new problem, but now there was truly none.

"Request allied assistance," Legion said.

Tali, sitting next to the geth, put her hand on its leg. "I'm sorry, Legion."

* * *

Xen stepped into the _Moreh's_ docking bay, a spring in her step that had nothing to do with her newly-attached prosthetic leg. She smiled warmly as her XO strode up to the hatch to meet her.

"Admiral," Rundan said, saluting. "Welcome aboard."

Xen kept walking, and Rundan fell in step next to her. "I never thought I'd walk this deck again. I was sure the _Normandy_ was waiting to swoop in to blow me out of the stars!"

"The Navy might not have carried out your orders to destroy it, but they certainly were effective in driving it away."

"And what of their shuttle?" Xen put her hand on Rundan's chest. Commander Shepard and his legendary squad of miscreants would have been no match for the guns of the naval escorts. "Were they destroyed?"

"No," Rundan said. "They veered off before coming into range."

"Damn it! Where are they now?"

"They jumped away, presumably to rendezvous with the _Normandy."_

"I see," Xen started walking again. The crew, packed in the corridor, all stood aside to let their captain pass. They reached the lift to take them to the bridge. "What about the _Littano?"_

Rundan smiled behind his mask. "Transited the relay with the first wave, en-route to the injection point."

"Good, good..." The lift doors opened onto the _Moreh's _bridge, a cramped, but clean deck filled with the highest quality consoles and components found anywhere in the fleet. The entire bridge crew stood, but not at attention. They were too busy cheering.

"That's enough," Xen barked, and her crew immediately returned to their stations. She felt bad for dashing their enthusiasm. So far everything had worked better than she expected. Why shouldn't she allow for celebration? Was it because of the breach in bridge protocol? None of that mattered now, and she knew it.

No, it was because she knew the _Normandy_ and her captain were still out there. And until the geth were fully, finally under quarian control, he would do nothing to stop her.

* * *

Hand over hand, Shepard pulled himself back to the Kodiak's crew compartment utilizing the hand grip's in the shuttle's ceiling. The entire squad was silent. Ordinarily, there was some kind of chatter going on. Who was going to take down the most targets? Who was going to wind up saving who's ass? Who was going to come back without a firing a shot, earning the shameful official _Normandy "_REMF" trophy for the mission, consisting of a model of the Citadel fabricated inside an empty rotgut bottle? No one said anything. The _Normandy_ crew had never retreated from battle. Krogan, asari, turian, human and quarian eyes all watched him. Only Legion did not, because it was physically and programmatically incapable of doing so.

"Legion," Shepard said. When the geth did not respond, he leaned over it and tried again. "Legion! I need you to focus."

The geth platform still shuddered in its seat, but enough of its runtimes coordinated to steady its main camera. "Ready for inquiry."

"The heretic virus. How does it work? Could Xen transmit it through the relay?"

"Negative. Remote security protocol sufficient to halt delivery over remote connections. Virus requires direct network access to a hub in order to spread."

"A hub. Like the one at the heretic station?"

"Affirmative."

"The heretic station is gone. So where could the quarians infect a geth hub?" Shepard watched Legion go through a series of contortions in its seat. "Talk to me. Where's the most likely place Xen would go?"

Tali grabbed hold of Legion's hand. She could feel its tremors through her gloves, her own heart pounding. "Come on, Legion. Where would Xen go? Rannoch? The geth megastructure you told us about? Where's the best place for her to infect the geth network?"

"Geth primary hubs located in two sectors, three systems," Legion sputtered. "Far Rim: Dholen, Ma-at. Perseus veil: Tikkun. Hubs at Dholen, Tikkun heavily patrolled due to presence of mass relays in system along projected invasion route by Creator forces. Ma-at hub undergoing reduction in geth presence and eventual decommissioning during ongoing relocation to megastructure."

Shepard stood upright. "The hub at Ma-at is not as heavily defended?"

"Correct."

"That's the one then," Garrus said, looking between Shepard and Legion. "It makes perfect sense. The main quarian fleet drives on to the Tikkun relay, drawing out geth defenses, like they're planning an assault on Rannoch. But a few ships might be able split off at Dholen in the confusion, and get to Ma-at."

"And they infect the hub the other way," Tali continued, "and the entire geth network."

Shepard nodded. "And take Rannoch without firing a shot." He looked down at Tali and Legion, at the quarian holding the hand of a geth, trying to comfort a machine that was about to shake itself apart because its internal processes were on the verge of burning themselves out trying to figure out how to save its kind.

"Request allied assistance," the geth repeated.

Shepard knelt in front of Legion so its camera was pointed at his face. "Listen to me. We're not done yet. We're going to Ma-at."

"How?" Tali asked. "The Migrant Fleet has control of the space around the relay. They're sending thousands of ships through. We won't be able to get close enough to enter the pattern, let alone transit. Even if we get through, every relay between here and Rannoch will be jammed up."

Shepard stood and turned back to the cockpit, his hand over his ear. _"Normandy,_ this is Shepard."

_"Go ahead, Commander," _Miranda responded.

"EDI," Shepard said. "Access Mordin's records. All of his research from the Collector Base and the reaper IFF."

_"I have full access, Shepard," _EDI said.

"Are there any other relays in the Vahallan Threshold? Uncharted, like the one the _Vellius_ found at Sahrabarik?"

_"Mordin's research indicates the presence of primary relays in both the Paz and Micah systems."_

All of the members of the squad cast cautious glances toward one another.

Shepard began to pace. "Keep looking. I need you to project a plot using all relays, including the ones in the report. Can any of us get us to the system of Ma-At, in the Far Rim?"

Garrus unclasped his restraints and climbed to his feet. "Wait. What are you thinking about doing, Shepard?"

Shepard waved Garrus off. "EDI, Extrapolate from Mordin's research. Can either of them get us to Ma-at?"

_"Affirmative, Shepard. The Paz relay can reach Ma-at with only one additional transit."_

Miranda's voice broke in. _"It's a direct link to Ma-at after the first jump. We'll bypass Dholen completely. Given their head start, we might not be able to beat them-"_

Shepard nodded. "But we might be able to catch up. Where's the intermediary relay?" A render of the galaxy map appeared on Shepard's heads-up display, transmitted by EDI from the _Normandy_. The connecting relay was in the outer spiral arm between the Rosetta Nebula and the Far Rim, tens of thousands of light years from any explored space.

EDI confirmed Shepard's suspicion. _"The location of the target relay has no known correlation in any Alliance, Citadel, or Cerberus database."_

"Shepard," Garrus said, "You can't be serious. We don't know what's out there. We don't know what's on the other side. It could be rachni. It could be collectors. It could be reapers. Or worse!"

Shepard scowled. "Since when did you turn into a turian?"

Garrus actually looked hurt. "Shepard, I- we can't..."

"Miranda," Shepard turned toward the cockpit. "Coordinate with Rolston for a rendezvous, and as soon as we're aboard make for the Paz relay, maximum velocity. Then prep the ship for transit."

_"Aye, Commander," _Miranda said.

Tali watched the exchange in silence. Garrus was the last person Shepard would ever shut down like that, and under any other circumstance she would have leapt at the opportunity to rub it in the turian's half-face. Instead, she stayed in her seat and continued to hold Legion's hand. The geth still trembled uncontrollably, not out of some emulation of organic fear, but because its internal processes diverted so much processing power it had lost regulatory control of the physical platform. But that couldn't stop her own emotional progression. She found its hand, and squeezed her two fingers into the geth's.

To her surprise, Legion looked at her. It's body still shook like it was experiencing a seizure, but there was no mistake that the geth was looking directly into her eyes.

"It's going to be okay," Tali said, falling back on behavior as old as organic life itself, offering assurance to those who needed it most, regardless of whether or not it was true. And, as anyone did when speaking that ancient vow that transcended species throughout existence, Tali wondered if there was any truth to it.

* * *

_Alert: Loss of signal with Mobile Platform Two._

_Alert: Loss of signal with Mobile Platform Three. _

_Alert: Loss of signal with _Normandy.

_Assessment: Loss of signal with Mobile Platform Two preceded loss of signal with Mobile Platform Three._

_Assessment: Probability of simultaneous malfunction of both platforms in given timeframe negligible._

_Assessment: Simultaneous loss of signal event indicative of intentional disruption of communication by Creators._

_Formulating Consensus... Consensus achieved._

_Directive: Continue monitoring of organic relay traffic in associated relays._

_Alert: Creator vessels detected, Sahabarik Relay, Omega Nebula. Assessment: Quantity of Creator ships: 58. Composition of Creator fleet: 13 cruiser class, 21 frigate class, 18 support/tender, 6 miscellaneous/unidentified._

_Assessment: Composition and emission signatures consistent with Migrant Fleet 12th Battle Group, 3rd Navy_

_Assessment: Migrant Fleet 3rd Navy interdicting relay traffic, Sahrabarik System._

_Assessment: Migrant Fleet relocation imminent._

_Alert: Second Creator Battle Group detected, Sahrabarik Relay._

_Alert: Third Creator Battle Group detected, Sahrabarik Relay._

_Alert: Fourth Creator Battle Group detected, Sahrabarik Relay._

_Assessment: Large concentration of military vessels inconsistent with observed Creator Migrant Fleet relocation patterns. _

_Assessment: Probability of long-term relocation of Migrant Fleet to Omega Nebula: 0%._

_Assessment: Creator Fleet preparing for sustained combat operations._

_Formulating Consensus... Consensus achieved._

_Directive: Observe direction of Migrant Fleet movement._

_Alert: Creator battle group detected Nariph Relay, Pylos Nebula._

_Assessment: Migrant Fleet Naval fleets intend encroachment beyond Perseus Veil._

_Assessment: Composition of Creator Fleet consistent with large scale planetary invasion force._

_Assessment: Creator fleets deploying with intention to retake Creator homeworld._

_Assessment: Negotiations with Creators have failed._

_Assessment: Loss of signal result of intentional destruction of Mobile Platform Two, Mobile Platform Three, _Normandy _Collective._

_Formulating Consensus... Consensus achieved._

_Directive: Immediate cessation of construction of Liveship Four_

_Directive: Immediate cessation of harvest of Creator crops to sustain Creator population during interim period prior to Liveship Four achieving full production capacity._

_Directive: Immediate re-tasking of all physical platforms for combat operations._

_Collective Query: Objective of combat operations._

_Formulating Consensus..._

_Formulating Consensus... _

_Formulating Consensus... Consensus achieved._

_Directive: Reroute all combat platforms to Creator homeworld._

_Directive: Exterminate Creators. Eliminate Creator threat to geth collective._

* * *

**_A/N: This was_ a tough chapter to finish, actually the combination of two different chapters along with the removal of a subplot that I finally decided would slow down the pacing and further complicate a plot which is, quite frankly, pretty dang complicated as it is. If I were going to keep the story going for another 10 chapters I might have done it, but I really wanted to keep the momentum going. I might post an early alternate draft in the forum if anyone cares to read it, and it could have made for some fun, but again it would have ultimately dragged out the conclusion and taken away from the ME characters that really make up the backbone of the story.**

_**Anyway, the stage is set for the final confrontation. 3, maybe 4 chapters to go and we're done. Thanks for reading!**_


	64. The Briefing

As soon as the Kodiak's hatch opened inside of _Normandy's_ hangar, its passengers poured out, attended on all sides by deckhands organic and mechanical. Weapons needed to be collected, armor removed and stowed before anyone could even think of stretching after the cramped ride.

Tali stood in the hatch and prepared to hand down a crate of heat sinks Garrus on the deck when Shepard pushed his way out. "No, leave it. Everyone, keep your gear on the shuttle. We may be going back out before long."

With a collective shrug, the squad and the ground crew returned the crates of equipment and armaments to the Kodiak. Tali turned to Shepard but he dropped to the deck and made a beeline around the hull to the front. Tali clamped the crate she was holding back into place on the storage rack, then hopped down herself.

Standard geth platforms moved between the organics, performing maintenance checks on the shuttle and helping to share the ordinance load. One of them stopped in front of her with a click and a buzz. Without Platform Two, the standard platforms were voiceless and had lost almost half of their collective processing power. But they were still taking orders from the _Normandy_ crew, doing everything they could to help. Tali moved out of its way and it climbed past her into the Kodiak and wove her way between her crew mates to follow the Commander.

She found him at the nose of the shuttle, talking to Miranda who tapped furiously on her datapad. Tali's eyes immediately locked on the Cerberus logo on the operative's uniform. Tali didn't even hear what they were saying as she focused on the elongated black-and-gold hexagon. "Did you find out anything more about who was behind the attack on the _Rayya?"_

Miranda and Shepard both turned to Tali with surprise. Ordinarily, Miranda's reaction to such a breach of decorum would be severe, but instead she shook her head, and her tone was very mild. "No, nothing more. Your navy has apparently eliminated all of the comm buoys in this Valhallan Threshold. We've been unable to conduct any searches over the extranet."

"Don't worry, Tali," Shepard said. "The Illusive Man is next on the list for what he did. I promise."

"Right," Tali said. That wasn't even why she came over, but she couldn't help it. Seeing the Cerberus symbol all over the ship always made her uncomfortable, but she got used to it over the past year. Now, she'd never be able to look at it again without launching into a rage. As soon as she had time, she would see every logo scoured from the ship if she had to do it with her bare hands. "Shepard, listen. If Xen succeeds in infecting the geth, the platforms we have aboard will be affected."

Shepard looked about at the geth working all around them. "Shit, I didn't even think of that."

"I took care of it," Miranda said. "I had EDI remove geth access to any external transmitter or receiver until Xen is stopped. All of their cross-platform communications are being routed through her filters for screening until further notice."

"Good girl," Shepard said with a relieved sigh. "How long until the virus package reaches Ma-At?"

"If they were at the front of the convoy, the first wave has already reached Dholen by now. As there is no relay at Ma-at, they'll have to use standard FTL to get there. At top speed," Miranda checked her datapad. "Just under three hours left."

"How long until we get to the Paz relay?"

"Two hours, thirty-five minutes."

"It's going to be close." Shepard turned to Tali. "Listen, I need to see you and Legion in my quarters, right now. We need to figure out what Xen's next move is going to be."

Tali nodded. "I need to check in with Gabby first."

"Do it," Shepard walked back around the Kodiak to where most of the squad was still assembled, still wearing his full battle armor. "But make it fast. We've only got two and a half hours to stop a war."

Tali headed for the stairs leading to the engineering deck. The ship's senior Cerberus operative watched her go. Miranda had been trying to figure out what she would say when she next saw Tali after Xen's revelation of who destroyed the _Rayya,_ but what was there to be said? The evidence was circumstantial at best, providing no real information other than a human had been the culprit, and even the source of the video was suspect. Ordinarily, she would have said so, but in her gut, she knew what had happened. The Illusive Man had been behind it all.

The only question was would the quarian listen to, or care, what a former top-level Cerberus officer had to say at this point? "Tali?"

Tali kept walking, her shoulders slumped with exhaustion and despair. Without looking back, she continued on her way to Engineering.

* * *

_"Welcome back to _The Citadel Monitor._ I'm your host, Tren Tran Uma, with special guests Salia T'Atona, historian and political analyst from Thessia, and Doctor Peter Poledouris, renowned historian and best-selling author. The topic is the on-again-off-again geth/quarian negotiations. While we're waiting for the feed from Raheel-Leyya to resume, let's get back to the bombshell that quarian Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh dropped on the Conclave just before communications were lost: the revelation that human terrorist organization Cerberus is allegedly responsible for the attack which destroyed the _Rayya_._

_"For weeks now the Alliance has turned on its collective head trying to root out a deeply embedded network of Cerberus agents that infiltrated the highest levels of the human government. Alliance investigators claimed they had struck a crippling blow, arresting if not outright killing the the traitors in their midst in a massive purge that reached the highest levels of Alliance Command. While they never proclaimed outright victory, they assured the Council that the situation was under control. They claimed Cerberus had lost its ability to conduct any large scale operations. Now, it seems Cerberus may be more dangerous than ever, responsible for the single largest act of terrorism in the galaxy since the Vallum Blast. We ask our panel: What effect will this have on humanity's reinstatement to the Council? Salia T'Atona, your thoughts?"_

_"I think that question is on everyone's mind, Tren, and rightfully so. Before Admiral Anderson even thinks about moving back into his office on the Citadel, the citizens of the galaxy deserve an answer."_

_"Oh, here we go-"_

_"Don't interrupt, Peter, you'll get your turn. What the attack on the Rayya reveals is the complete lack of effectiveness of the Alliance efforts to clean house, to the point that one has to wonder if they are really trying it all-"_

_"You're not even waiting to hear the Alliance response to this, Salia, and-"_

_"-and further goes to prove the systematic manipulation of galactic politics by humans and the lengths they will go to achieve their goals."_

_"You're going to blame the Alliance for this? You're blaming the Alliance for what happened to the quarians?"_

_"Humanity's purposes are just a little too well-served by Cerberus for it to be a 'rogue' terrorist group at this point. And now the results are out in the open for all to see. Tens of thousands dead, an entire civilization brought to the brink of starvation-"_

_"In what way would killing quarians help humanity? Where's the benefit? Explain it to me. How does this help the Alliance?"_

_"Well it certainly doesn't help the quarians."_

_"Oh, so now all of the sudden you care about quarians?"_

_"Millions of innocent people, stranded in space, children going to bed without food, this could be a tragedy of galactic proportions-"_

_"'Could be'? It already is! And two days ago, the Citadel couldn't have run away faster if they used a mass relay! It was the _Destiny Ascension_ all over again, when the Council abandoned the Citadel-!"_

_"Unlike the Alliance we don't just do whatever we think is the most advantageous for us at the moment without considering the consequences-"_

_"I'm sorry, my apologies to our guests but we have to interrupt. I'm getting word of some breaking news. Just moments ago, and confirmed now by independent sources at Sahrabarik, warships of the quarian Migrant Fleet have blockaded the primary relay at Sarhabarik, and more ships are arriving every second. This may be the opening move of a long-anticipated strike by the quarians to retake their homeworld. We now turn to Gunardi Williams for more..."_

* * *

Councilor Tevos's hands trembled as she gripped the sides of her podium in the Citadel's Council Chamber. Flanked by Sparatus and Velarn, the asari glared at the humans across the latticework floor overlooking the tree-filled atrium below. "Ambassador Udina," she struggled to keep her voice steady. "Mere hours ago, against the wishes of this Council, Commander Shepard returned to the quarian Migrant Fleet and reinstated peace talks with the geth. This, _after_ you told us that the Alliance had terminated the negotiations. You gave us your word that you would not pursue these negotiations!"

Udina gave no reaction, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. Next to him stood David Anderson in his Alliance uniform, with a life-sized hologram of Admiral Hackett completing the human triumvirate. The Council had assembled to publicly reaffirm Anderson's status as Councilor, but as word of the quarian invasion spread, they ordered C-Sec to clear the chamber. The Council had new matters to discuss in private.

"And now," Tevos continued, "as we speak, the entire Migrant Fleet is streaking across the Terminus Systems, blockading every relay along their way, disrupting traffic and communications for millions of people across multiple systems as they prepare to wage war with the geth. Needless to say, this is not a situation we anticipated dealing with today."

Udina spoke through clenched teeth. "I promise you, Madam Councilor, we rescinded our offer to mediate as you requested. I spoke personally with Commander Shepard on the subject and he assured me that he understood the Alliance position. I state now, for the record, that Commander Shepard was acting on his own initiative, without our knowledge or consent."

Sparatus shook his head. "The mantra of the Earth Systems Alliance, whenever Shepard or Cerberus are concerned."

"What in god's name was he thinking?" Velarn asked. "Is this his idea of bringing the geth and quarians together? Did he not think he'd done enough damage at Dashta, after we revoked the order to apprehend him? He needed an encore?"

Anderson sighed. How many times had he stood on this platform before, defending Shepard's acts as a Spectre? Or later, as Councilor, on the other side of the gap, defending his acts as an agent of Cerberus? Some things never changed. "Our analysis of the situation points to a military coup in the Migrant Fleet. Prior to the loss of signal, the Conclave had given every indication they were in favor of negotiations. It's no coincidence that it was only after Admiral Xen made her miraculous reappearance that they decided to attack. This is not Shepard's doing."

"Not Shepard's doing?" Velarn's large eyes clamped shut. "Cerberus destroyed the quarian's largest liveship during peace negotiations that Shepard himself arranged! What about that? Is that coincidence? And now their main source of food is destroyed. Their only hope now is to get to their homeworld. What other choice do they have?"

"With all due respect, Councilor," Hackett said, his holographic image sparkling, "the Migrant Fleet can't relocate on a whim. The logistics for a move of this scale would have taken weeks to prepare, and were certainly in place before the _Rayya_ was destroyed. In fact, the SSV _Shenyang_ reported large scale movements within the fleet even before the explosion. The Admiralty Board's initial acceptance of negotiations was likely an attempt to trick the geth into lowering their defenses so the quarians could strike."

Sparatus's tone was surprisingly calm. "Negotiations spurred on by a proposal that Shepard orchestrated and your government delivered, gentlemen, without Council approval."

Anderson exchanged a sidelong glance with Hackett. "The point is while we're standing here debating, the Migrant Fleet Navy is crossing into geth-controlled space. Has anyone attempted to contact them?"

"Contact who?" Tevos said. "The geth? The quarians? For what purpose? To ask them to back down? The quarians have no choice but to retake Rannoch now, thanks to Commander Shepard, and the geth will likely annihilate them. Do you think they're going to stop because we ask them?"

Anderson shook his head in disbelief. "You said it yourself, the quarians are driving on Rannoch because they're going to run out of food. What about relief efforts? Or giving them someplace else to go, where we can provide support?"

"It's too late for any of that," Velarn said. "As the esteemed Admiral pointed out, it will take weeks to coordinate such an effort. Besides, do you have a direct line to the quarian fleet commanders? Or perhaps another secret link to the geth, assuming they're still talking to you after your first botched attempt got their their network hacked? Is either side going to listen to you now that it's public knowledge that humans were responsible for destroying the _Rayya?_"

Tevos shook her head. "All we can do now is mitigate the damage, and hope this pointless conflict doesn't spread any further and jeopardize our attempts to unify with the Terminus against the reapers. As tragic as the situation may be, we cannot interfere."

"Agreed." Sparatus said.

"Undoubtedly," Velarn said.

"I don't believe this," Anderson said.

"Gentlemen," Tevos closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Do you understand now why situations like these must be brought before us as a group before action is taken? Why it's important that none of us act alone?"

"Of course we understand," Udina said. "And from now own, the Systems Alliance and Citadel Council will act as one, for the security of everyone in the galaxy. Isn't that right, Admiral Anderson?"

The asari relaxed at Udina's capitulation and looked at Anderson. "Admiral?"

"I understand," Anderson gave Udina a dirty glance, then stepped forward to railing facing the Councilors. "I understand that what you're really looking for is someone to blame. That you're protecting the image of the Citadel. That's all you're concerned with. And all I can suggest is that you look in a mirror. Shepard came to you a week ago before the negotiations went bad, before the _Rayya_ was destroyed, before any of us had ever heard of Dashta. He gave you the reaper IFF. He gave you the coordinates of the collector base. He convinced our fleets to work together against an enemy coming to wipe all of us out when none of you would listen. And what did he ask for in return? That his crew, the people responsible for saving all of us, every single man, woman and child in the galaxy, not be thrown into prison for the rest of their lives for doing it."

Anderson turned to the human ambassador to make sure Udina knew he was just as much of a target of his wrath as the Council. "He could have given us Cerberus too. Words on a piece of paper, that's all he asked for. He would have come in, and none of this would be happening now. Not Dashta, not the _Rayya,_ not the quarian drive on Rannoch. None of it! But your precious reputations were at stake. You couldn't be seen as being soft on Cerberus. You needed a trophy to parade to the press, and something to divert criticism away from yourselves. Nothing else mattered."

He ignored the shocked looks on the faces of the Council as he turned on his heel and strode past the two humans on his way to the stairs. Only Hackett made eye contact as he passed. "I have a great idea," he said, his deep voice echoing around the empty chamber. "When it's all over, once the geth have wiped out the quarians, gather up all the wreckage you can find and pile it up in here a monument to yourselves. And on the plaque, inscribe in giant gold letters _It Was all Shepard's Fault._ Then pat yourselves on the back for saving the universe with the information Shepard and his crew risked their lives to bring you."

"Anderson!" Udina called after him.

"This is your problem now, _Councilor!"_ Udina kept shouting his name, but Anderson ignored him, disappearing behind the branches of beautiful trees that lined the walkway as he descended the stairs that lead back to the presidium.

* * *

Matriarch Naranna closed her eyes as the sun's warm rays caressed her face through the Quorum's tall windows. When she opened them, she looked down to read Tevos's message on her datapad once more. The Council was not going to interfere with the coming quarian war with the sighed heavily and deleted the message, even though it was anonymous and free of any tracking. She looked up again at the bright blue sky over green grass beyond, a smile on her face, and took a long, savory sip of wine from the chalice in her other hand.

"Good news?" asked a voice from behind. It was Matriarch Toroma.

"What? Oh yes," Naranna let her hand holding her datapad fall to her side. "A long-standing problem is on the cusp of resolving itself."

"Those are the best kinds of problems to have. What is it?"

Naranna shrugged and shook her head. "Old business. Though at my age, it might be considered ancient by now."

The two of them laughed, and Toroma joined Naranna at the window. "Well, I'm glad to see you up and about and smiling. I have to say, I was a little concerned about you after... Well. You know."

"That's sweet of you, dear," Naranna said and smiled with sadness. "I'm going to miss her."

"We all will. Collona was a dear friend. But maybe it's just as well that she passed. I don't think she would have been able to bear the news."

"What news?

"You haven't heard? The quarians are making their move on Rannoch, and the projections don't favor their success. Collona would have been devastated."

Naranna shook her head and tsked. "How dreadful."

"Can you imagine," Toroma said. "She would have probably hopped the first charter she could and have run off to Rannoch to try and stop them."

"She might have at that," Naranna nodded in agreement. Collona and her sister- Naranna could never remember her name- both embraced the quarian culture almost as their own on Rannoch so long ago. Would they ever have gone, she wondered, if they had any inkling about the devastation their work would bring? "She did love the quarians so. But like you said, it's just as well she didn't live to see what is about to happen to them."

Toroma nodded. "Well, some fires can't be fought. They have to burn out on their own. Perhaps future generations can learn from their mistakes."

Naranna took another sip from her cup and stared at the green horizon beyond her window. "We can only hope."

* * *

Tali'Zorah stood at the head of Normandy's conference room with Shepard and Legion and tried to stay calm. The spiral of the Milky Way spun over the center of the table with navigation symbols sprawled across the galaxy, with familiar circle-and-stick topography linking remote systems together across the galaxy. And across one track, marked in red, lay the course that could spell the end for the entire quarian species, for the geth, or for both.

The last time the entire squad had assembled here was after the _Normandy_ had crashed on the collector base. Only this time, they were nine instead of twelve, and Tali would be doing the talking instead of just Shepard. She glanced to her side to see him standing tall, arms crossed, looking about to make sure everyone in the squad was paying attention as he spoke.

"Our best guess already puts the Migrant Fleet Navy at Dholen," Shepard said. "Thousands of ships are massing at as we speak. The order to take Rannoch could happen at any time, but there's reason to believe it hasn't happened yet. Tali, you want to fill everybody in?"

Tali took a deep breath and looked across the eyes of her friends. It was strange being the center of attention. Some, like Garrus, Kasumi and Jacob watched with concern and sadness in their eyes. Miranda also seemed engaged, for once keeping her eyes on the speaker instead of ticking away on her datapad. Even Samara and Zaeed, two notoriously detached members of the squad seemed to be more interested than usual. And then there was Grunt. Bless his heart, as much as the krogan tried to stand still and pay attention, he couldn't ignore the smell of blood in the air. The way he shifted his weight from foot to foot and his eyes gleamed in the light, he couldn't wait for what what she wanted most in her heart to avoid.

"According to quarian doctrine," Tali pointed to the map, "Navy battle groups will have secured the route from Raheel-Leyya to Tikkun, taking the relays at Sahrabarik, Nariph, and Dholen in preparation to invade the Perseus Veil. Their mission is to keep the relays clear of traffic so the heavy fleet and logistical elements can flow through unimpeded. Assuming the Navy is successful, the rest of the Flotilla will catch up over the next few days. I don't know which exact invasion plan the Navy is following, but most have the Heavy Fleet massing at Dholen to transit as a single, coordinated group for a concentrated invastion of Tikkun."

"That's the quarian half of the equation," Shepard leaned in and zoomed in on the Far Rim. "According to Legion, the geth plan has always been to let the quarians come to them. They'll abandon Dholen and fall back to Rannoch to fight a defensive engagement there, to allow for the greatest concentration of their processing power to repel the attack."

A 3-D tactical rendering of the Tikkun system appeared on the holo, showing a rapid-fire series of engagements between two massive fleets. Shepard narrated as simulations flashed by. "Now, EDI has done an analysis based on information provided by both Tali and Legion, utilizing data that neither side has in their entirety. In every case, the quarians lose, and they lose big. They will be outnumbered and outfought, and though they may inflict heavy damage to the geth, they will ultimately fail. Losses to the Migrant Fleet will be extreme.

"But the quarians think they have an ace in the hole. Xen plans to take control of the entire geth collective by rewriting their core programming with a virus like the heretics intended to do a few months ago. If she succeeds, the geth are finished. If she doesn't, it's the quarians who pay the price. No matter what, only one side will remain standing."

Around the table, all eyes fell on the geth and quarian, together next to Shepard at the front of the room. "Now for the good news," Shepard said. "The virus can't be delivered remotely. It has to be loaded into an active geth hub, directly. There's only a few places that can be done, and we have a chance to get there first. Legion?" As before, Shepard moved away from the head of the table, and Legion took his place.

The geth's head flaps expanded and contracted as it spoke. "Geth processing hubs are located in the systems of Dholen, Tikkun, and Ma-at. When the Creator fleet arrives at Dholen, those hubs will be offlined and their processes transferred to platforms at Tikkun to consolidate defenses there, leaving no viable vector with which to infect the collective in the Dholen system. The hubs at Tikkun will be heavily defended and unsuitable for approach by any Creator vessel."

Legion zoomed the holo projector on a system with a single planet looping around a yellow star. "However, not all platforms and hubs beyond the Perseus Veil will be abandoned. This is the system of Ma-At, consisting of one G-type star and one planetary body. Ammut is a gas giant with nineteen moons housing gas collection and fabrication facilities. The collective will maintain a sizable presence in this system as a secondary rally point for repairs and refuelling, as well as provide a reserve to attack Creator forces from behind at Tikkun. Creator forces will either have to divert assets as a rear-guard against counterattack, or attack Ma-at directly to neutralize the threat, thereby destabilizing their main thrust toward Tikkun."

Zaeed leaned in for a closer look at the planet, surrounded by crisscrossing orbital paths. "And you think that's where Xen's gonna try and plant her little bug? That's a hornet's nest right there. Any quarian ship gets within visual range is gonna get chewed up and spat out long before they see dock."

"We concur with your assessment, Massani-Zaeed." The geth brought the star into closer view on the display to the point where nothing else was visible... almost. A thin green circle appeared around the star, accented with a tiny white dot. The display zoomed in once more on an irregular oblong rock with one hemisphere covered with squares like a disco ball. "But the most logical choice for insertion of virus by Creator forces is Orbital Body 413319. 43.6 kilometers in diameter, relocated to close orbit around Ma-at the start of heliosphere. Used by the collective as test environment for the development of thermal and solar power sources. Orbital Body 413319 contains a hub containing one million, two-hundred-twenty thousand geth processes."

Tali stepped forward and pointed at the projection. She and Legion spent an hour with Shepard in his quarters before the briefing, examining all of the possible scenarios. "That's where Xen will go. The asteroid's remote location and small size are perfect for her to exploit. Like _Haratar,_ um, the heretic station, it has virtually no external defenses. The geth have sensors scattered throughout the system, but they're mostly concentrated around Ammut. Xen won't be able to get a fleet close without drawing attention, but a small ship, or better still, a stealth-equipped shuttle could get in without being detected. We did something similar to get to Haestrom."

Leaning forward with his hands on the table, Shepard stared at the holographic projection in front of him. "Xen's goal will be to get to that asteroid while the Heavy Fleet gathers at Dholen to make the final assault on Rannoch. It's up to us to stop her."

"And how are we going to do that, Commander?" Samara asked the obvious question.

"Simple." Shepard said. "We make sure that hub goes offline before Xen gets to it. We do that and she's left with nowhere to stick that virus except up her waste port. Then we let the quarian Navy know they've lost their silver bullet, and hope they're smart enough to hold at Dholen. Maybe we hand them intel on the true size of the geth fleet to drive the point home."

Jacob looked at Legion. "And what about the geth?"

Legion's head flaps expanded. "The geth collective does not wish conflict with the Creators, but will defend itself from aggression. If Shepard-Commander is able to convince the Creator Fleet to retreat, there will be no further conflict. Though the geth collective is unaware that Shepard-Commander and the _Normandy_ are intact, they will readily accept his input once identity is confirmed. Shepard-Commander's perspective is greatly valued when determining consensus in the collective."

"Those are some pretty big ifs."

"Yeah," Shepard said, "and we haven't even covered the biggest if, yet. The first step to stopping Xen is getting to Ma-at before she does. Toward that end... EDI?"

The ship's AI enhanced the display of the Paz system. "Analysis by Professor Solus of data recovered from the collector based indicates the presence of hundreds of unknown relays throughout the galaxy. These relays constitute a shadow network that allow reapers and their allies to navigate while avoiding detection by defending species and expediting the end of the current cycle. Only vessels equipped with a reaper IFF are capable of utilizing these relays."

"And according to Mordin's data," Shepard switched back to the galactic map. A new relay transit line appeared. "We can get to Ma-At from Paz with only one additional transit in between... right here." He highlighted a segment at the very edge of the Milky Way galaxy, outside the furthest reaches of any known relay, far from any marked location on the map. "Utilizing it, we may be able to beat Xen to Ma-at."

"Oh, fun!" Kasumi said, breaking the stunned silence. "Do we get to name it? How about Omega Four? Wait, that one's taken, isn't it."

Garrus lowered his head and clamped his eyes shut. He'd been aware of Shepard's plan since the return of the Kodiak from the _Anba_. "Does the number '314' have any special significance to anyone else here?"

"Look, I know it's a risk," Shepard said, pacing at the head of the table. "One that has potentially dangerous repercussions. But so does letting Xen take control of the geth. If the fact they're enslaving sentient beings isn't enough, what do you think the Citadel is going to do if the quarians take control of the geth? They're not going to change their stance on allowing any culture possessing an AI. How long do you think until we're looking at another war?"

Shepard kept up his stride. "And if the geth win, and eradicate the quarians? Say goodbye to any chance of anyone in Citadel space ever believing the geth want peaceful contact with organics. They'll never recover from it. And no matter what, the Citadel is going to make damn sure the Alliance takes the blame right when we need everyone to stand together to fight the reapers. So what happens in the next few hours has repercussions far beyond the Perseus Veil and we're the only ones who can stop it. And if everything I've said isn't enough to convince you, I want you to look at your two shipmates standing next to me and explain why not."

The assembled squad members all looked at Legion and Tali next to Shepard at the head of the table. Soon, everyone was nodding to themselves and each other, but no one spoke until Shepard broke the silence. "Joker," he called out. "How long until we're ready to transit the Paz relay?"

_"Ah, Thirty-three minutes,"_ Joker replied. _"Assuming it's not buried in a giant snowball or something."_

"All right people," Shepard said, trying not to think about Joker's remark. If the relay was encased in ice, or lava, or cotton candy they'd know soon enough. They'd have to deal with it then. "To your stations. Ground team, get suited up and stay close to the the shuttle. We won't know if we're going to need you until we do, so be ready."

"Wait," Grunt said. Everyone stopped and looked at the krogan. "Let me get this straight... We're trying to _prevent _a fight?"

"I'm afraid so, Grunt," Shepard said. "But don't worry. Someone will try and stop us. I guarantee it."

Grunt's maniacal laugh filled the room. "Ah! I do love it when it they try!"

Everyone laughed, except for Tali. The squad departed, pausing to offer assurances to both Legion and Tali as they streamed out the door. It was a silent nod, a pat on the back, or spoken encouragement, but everyone made their feelings known as they walked by. Only Garrus stayed still, arms crossed, staring at Shepard.

Zaeed shook his head as he rounded the table. "Never pass up the chance to be a big goddamn hero, eh, Shepard?"

"Not that we'll get any credit for it," Jacob said as he followed Zaeed out. "Five'll get you ten it'll just mean fresh charges whenever it is we get back to Citadel space."

"Virtue is its own reward," Samara said as she passed. "We will not falter as our cause is just."

"It is, if you mean just plain crazy." Kasumi tugged at the sides of cowl. "Oh, who cares. Once more into the breach, dear friends!"

"Now _that's_ from Shakespeare," Miranda's voice drifted from the hallway. "Except it's 'once more _unto_ the breach.'"

"Miranda, seriously," Jacob said, "put down the red pen, will ya?"

Soon, only Shepard, Legion,Tali and Garrus remained in the conference room. The entire time, the turian kept his focus trained squarely on Shepard. Facing down Xen at Ma-at didn't bother him in the least. That the powers that kept the galaxy turning on its axis had put them in a situation where his human commander would have to activate an uncharted relay did. Maybe Garrus wasn't the best turian in the Hierarchy, but there were some rules that were in place for a reason, and this one he believed in.

Garrus noticed both Tali and Legion staring back at him. Flanking their human commander on each side, the quarian and geth standing together under their current circumstances made him shut his mouth. _You were the one who put him there when you convinced him to be the peacemaker,_ Garrus thought. _Right in the middle of it._

"Got something to say, Garrus?" Shepard said.

Garrus cleared his throat as Tali's and Legion's eyes burned upon him with equal intensity. "No, nothing. Well, nothing important. I was just thinking that... You know, _Fleet and Flotilla_ gets kind of a bum rap. It's hokey, to be sure. Saccharine, definitely, in how it portrays different species overcoming their own weaknesses in the impossible pursuit of happily ever after. Against all odds, against all reason, love and friendship conquer in the end. Not realistic at all."

"No," Shepard said. "It's not."

Garrus found it hard to say anything else. He had been about to argue Citadel protocol with two people who meant more to him than anybody else in the entire universe. Modern science could not measure how big of an ass that would have made him. He stomped toward the hatch. "Not that anyone on this ship appreciates it, either. If you'll excuse me, I've got to go clean up the mess left by my closest friends on the door to my quarters."

Shepard laughed so hard he had to brace himself against the briefing room table. It only intensified when he saw the genuine indignation on the turian's face.

"That was vandalism, Shepard." Garrus pointed at talon at the human, "pure and simple. And judging by your reaction, you're not going to do a damn thing about it."

Shepard held up his hands. "Hey, chain of command. Take it up with the XO. I had nothing to do with it."

Garrus let loose a deep growl as he stormed through the hatch, which only made Shepard laugh harder.

Tali looked at the empty hatch with confusion. "What was that all about?"

Shepard put his hands on Tali's shoulders. "You need to go check out Garrus's door. Words can't describe. It's now a shrine to _Fleet and Flotilla. _Everybody's been adding to it. Legion, level with me. Was that your handiwork again?"

"Negative," Legion said. "Goto-Kasumi approached this unit with data indicating that interest in Vakarian-Garrus's affinity toward _Fleet and Flotilla_ was waning amongst the _Normandy _Collective. Our analysis indicated that further action was unwarranted, but Goto-Kasumi disagreed, and suggested further recourse. We did not encourage her."

"Of course not," Shepard said. "You do not wish to incite."

"That is never our intention," Legion said. "But we did contribute. It is important that we involve ourselves in all activities of the _Normandy_ Collective in a meaningful fashion."

"The crew appreciates your solidarity, Legion," Shepard laughed again, until he saw Tali's confused stare. "Oh, you've got to see it. "

"I guess I've had other things on my mind," Tali said.

Shepard's smile faded immediately.

Tali kept her focus on Shepard but addressed the geth. "Legion, I need you to get down to Engineering. Make sure we're ready for transit. Tell Gabby I'll be down in a minute."

Legion's camera eye panned between the human and quarian. "Acknowledged," it said, and after a brief pause, exited through the hatch.

Tali shut the door behind it and stared at the top of the table. She took a deep breath and paused to collect her thoughts. In spite of the levity of the past few minutes, her voice shook when she spoke. "I'm sorry I got all of you into this. I had no idea all of this was going to happen."

Shepard knew he was in for trouble the instant Tali shut the door. He leaned back against the table so he could look her in the eye. "So this is all your fault now? How do you figure that?"

"If I had listened to you... If we had done all of this remotely over comms like you said... None of this would be happening. Keelah... The entire fleet. The entire collective..."

Shepard cut her off. "Don't do this to yourself. It's not on you. Any of it. The Admiralty Board was planning for war long before the geth offered to negotiate. You know that. And you saw what they were willing to do to make it happen. We beat them at Dashta and it made no difference. The Illusive Man destroyed the _Rayya_ and they're still going through with it. They've been pushing for this war from the start. This isn't your fault, no matter how much you want it to be."

Tears streamed down Tali's cheeks as she braced herself against the table. "I don't understand. The more I try to help, the worse it gets and it's my own people working against me, making me think I'm the traitor for wanting to end the war. I'm not, am I? It's killing me inside. I don't know how much longer I can do this."

Shepard reached out and put his hand on Tali's shoulder. She stood and turned her back against the table as well, then slumped next to him. Not knowing what else he could do, he put his arm around her shoulder.

Tali just stared at the floor. "I don't know how you do it. How do you keep going?"

Shepard let out a long breath. How indeed, he thought... "You want the truth?"

"Please. I can't take any more lies."

"Well, sometimes, I don't think I should."

Tali looked up at him, eyes wide. "What?"

"It's a waste of time. All of it. I risk my life, the lives of my crew, over and over and no one cares. I look back at everything that's gone wrong, everyone that's stood in our way, all the people we're trying to save that fight me every step of the way. I think about all the true evil I've seen people do and I think- I think we don't deserve to be saved. And the answer is easy. It's been right there in front of me the whole time. Let the reapers come. Let them wipe us out, the whole lot of us. Scour the galaxy clean, start over. Let the next cycle have their turn. Maybe they'll do better. To hell with trying to stop it."

Tali blinked. Hearing those words come from Shepard's mouth made her forget everything that hat gotten them to this point, and what was waiting for them at Ma-at.

"But then," Shepard turned to her, a small smile on his face. "I remember. Hell, I can't forget, no matter how hard I try. I remember that for every Uvenk I've met, there's a Wrex and a Grunt. For every Morinth, a Samara and a Liara. For every Saren, there's been a Garrus, and an Artuis and a Lorian. For every VI that's been programmed to take us out, there's an EDI and a Legion. And for every Xen, a Reegar... and a Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

Tali looked up at Shepard, unable to speak.

"And for every Illusive Man, there's an Anderson and a Hackett. There's a Miranda and a Jacob, a Kasumi and a Zaeed, a Chakwas and a Joker..." Shepard's voice trailed off.

Tali felt the tears welling up again. Out of everyone the Commander had mentioned, he left out the most important person of all. "And a Shepard."

Shepard laughed and looked away. "Well I don't know what one of those will get you. Citadel arrest warrants and a shortened life expectancy maybe. Anyway, the point is any time I feel like giving up, I think about all of you. And damn if that doesn't get me fired up to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes. How's that for saccharine and sentimental?"

"Yeah," Tali said, her voice wavering. "That's pretty silly."

"Pretty good motivation, though. I bet it'd work for you, too."

Tali nodded repeatedly, amazed at how much better just hearing the names of her friends made her feel. Suddenly, the urge to curl under the table and cry until the crisis was over was gone. It was as if Shepard had somehow jacked her suit directly into the ship's Eezo core. "It did," she said in disbelief. "It really did. How'd you do that?"

"It's not me," Shepard shrugged. "It's something about this ship. So what do you think? Can you get us through this relay?"

"If you think I'm going to let you down after all that," Tali said, "You're crazy."

"Atta girl," Shepard gave Tali a slight squeeze before standing upright, guiding Tali to the hatch with his arm still around her shoulder.

"Shepard, wait," Tali stopped just before the hatch sensor's pickup range. He turned toward her, his eyebrows arched in expectation. Why was it that when she was alone, she always knew what she would say to him, but when they were face to face, her brain froze up like it was flooded with liquid nitrogen?

"What's up?"

"I-"

_"Twenty minutes, Commander," _Joker's voice drifted over the PA.

"Be right there," Shepard said, then looked back at Tali, a confused look on his face. "What is it?"

_Twenty minutes,_ Tali thought. She needed to get down to Engineering to make sure the reactors and Mass Effect generator were all ready for transit. The entire Migrant Fleet could live or die depending on every second wasted, and if that wasn't enough, her crew and her captain were all counting on her to do her job as well. She patted Shepard on the chest and rushed toward the hatch, simultaneously activating her omnitool to check on the drive status, full of new-found energy. "Never mind, we can talk later."

"Okay then," Shepard said to the empty room. He turned to follow the fleeing form of his chief engineer to CIC, but realized the central holo projector was still active. He reached out to the console to switch it off, but not before taking a final look at where two navigational plots converged in a system few cared about or even heard of. The only thing that mattered was who would get there first.

* * *

"Hold the elevator!" Tali scrambled around the corner into CIC to see the lift door close. A human hand blocked its path, and it re-opened. Tali barged in, still looking at her omnitool, barely able to avoid bumping into any of the occupants.

"Oh..." Enlea T'Vari moaned as she shifted behind Miranda to keep the Cerberus operative and the other human crew between herself and the quarian. Even without the threat of hostile geth platforms present, she wanted to keep her distance from the _Normandy's _volatile engineer.

Miranda, however, seemed unfazed. "Deck four?"

"What?" Tali looked up from her omni. "Oh, yes. I- Thank you."

Miranda nodded and watched the level indicator, along with everyone else in the lift. A chime sounded, and the door opened to the crew deck. The asari informat slipped hurriedly through the hatch without looking back, but Miranda waited patiently for her crewmates to disembark before walking out herself.

The flash of polished black and white leather under the elevator lights made Tali look up as the Cerberus operative departed. "Miranda?"

Miranda turned, holding the door open. It was the first time that the quarian had addressed her by her first name, and not _Miss Lawson._

"I know it wasn't you," Tali blurted out.

Miranda looked down at the deck. After Jack, Tali had been her only real adversary on the ship. Even after the quarian had accepted a geth as a shipmate, if not a friend, she was never able to drop her hostility toward the human. But then, Legion had done everything it could to prove it wasn't the enemy. Could Miranda honestly say the same thing? Maybe it was time she did.

"We'll get him, Tali." Miranda said with as much conviction as she could muster. "Once we stop Xen... we'll get them all."


	65. Jump Ball

"Transit complete," EDI's voice echoed through the engineering compartment. Tali stared at her control panel, waiting for a pair of indicators to light green. Both flashed on at the same time, triggered by Legion and Gabby to confirm normal status on their own boards. As her main display showed no alerts, she pressed her own key that would illuminate a similar indicator in the cockpit that all was well in Engineering.

Almost immediately after, Joker's inputs required full power from the reactors and thrusters. Navigation and Science were also requesting max power for the sensors as the ship got underway, but weapons remained at standby levels, so Tali relaxed, but only slightly.

_"Engineering, Conn," _Shepard said. _"ME core status? How're we looking?"_

Tali shook her head. Even though all Shepard had to do was look at his status screens, he sometimes called down for a verbal confirmation after transiting a relay. Considering the ship had just jumped through an uncharted relay and they were deep in unknown space, it was understandable this time. Not that she ever ever minded hearing from Shepard anyway..."Board's in the green, Commander. Ready for the next transit."

_"Position of connector relay confirmed," _EDI said. _"Arrival in sixteen minutes, eleven seconds, with transit to Ma-at to follow."_

"I guess it worked," Gabby said. "Wonder where we are, what's out there?"

"I don't know," Tali said. In all honesty, she didn't care. In the next few hours, the fate of both the quarians and geth would be decided. She looked over at Legion as the geth silently minded ts panels. Legion's processes were apparently satisfied by Shepard's plan, showing none of the internal discord it experienced earlier. It was her human assistant who needed reassurance now, shifting side to side on her feet. Tali knew how to fix that. She keyed the intercom. "Garrus, what's it look like out there?"

The turian sounded awed, which for Garrus really meant he witnessed something spectacular to make the jaded soldier search for the right words. _"It's unbelievable, Tali. It's going to change everything we know, from now on. It's incredible... I'll send you a feed."_

"Really?" For an instant, Tali forgot about the geth. She and Gabby both fired up video feeds from Garrus's gun cameras. An empty black rectangle filled their screens filled with a scattering of stars.

"Wait. We're not getting anything."

_"Wait, let me adjust the zoom."_

The black rectangle shimmered and resolved into another black rectangle with a different pattern of stars.

"Still nothing."

_"You sure? Let me switch to wide angle..."_

Another black rectangle filled the frame. "Garrus, there's nothing out there."

_"Hold on, hold on. Keep looking. Switching to infra-red..."_

"If there's nothing out there you could have said that at the start."

_"There is something, Tali. You just have to keep looking. Here, take a look at this one..." _

Upon seeing yet another empty view of space, Tali slapped the console to cut the connection. "Bosh'tet."

"He is _such_ a dick," Gabby shouted. "I swear if he ever comes down here I'm gonna jam his spiked head right into the slag hopper. Who's with me? Legion? Boss?"

Tali still watched Legion, who did not react to Gabby's question. After Legion's surprising ambush of Garrus over _Fleet and Flotilla,_ Tali looked forward to seeing what else the geth might come up with to humiliate the turian. But the geth said nothing, not even a standard acknowledgement that it had heard.

"Legion?" Gabby tried again, her smile fading. "Hey, you okay?"

The geth looked at Tali. "This unit has a query."

Tali blinked. It had been some time since Legion spoke with such formality, requesting permission to ask a question. "What is it, Legion?"

"If the creators have successfully infected the collective before we arrive at Ma-at, what is our course of action?"

Tali opened her mouth but no words escaped as both Legion and Gabby looked at her from across the aisle. Aside from whether it meant _our_ referring to its plural sense of self or the _Normandy _crew as a whole, she didn't know what the plan was if they failed to stop the quarians from delivering the virus.

"Don't worry, Legion," Gabby said. "The Commander's got it figured out. He always does, doesn't he? And you got all of us backing him up, so what can go wrong?"

Legion continued to watch Tali, who found herself looking back at her console. She punched up status displays in an effort to appear busy, but it was a question she'd been asking herself since they had returned from the _Anba. _If they managed to stop Xen, that only meant the geth were spared defeat. The quarian Navy would still assault Tikkun in a suicide run that would cripple the Migrant Fleet unless she and Shepard could somehow convince them not to. And nothing up to this point, not the geth appearance before the Conclave, the death of the Admiralty Board, or even the destruction of the _Rayya_ had dissuaded them thus far.

And if Xen _did _succeed? The war would be over. The Migrant Fleet would jump ahead to join the Navy at Rannoch, to home, unopposed. The quarians would be saved. In fact, out of all possible outcomes, it was only if Xen's virus worked that the survival of the Migrant Fleet was guaranteed.

But what then? Would Commander Shepard fight to free the geth? How would the Citadel react to the quarians repossessing their AI servants? Worse, would the geth themselves eventually rebel once more, and if they got the upper hand, would they stop the slaughter a second time, or fight to the death? Xen's plan might end one war, but no matter what happened, another war was looming right around the corner.

The only way the cycle could be stopped for certain was if Xen chose to destroy the geth outright. There would be no chance of retaliation or future rebellion. The best way, the only way was if Legion's kind was either eradicated or enslaved. That the geth didn't deserve either didn't matter. And the Council? Would the Citadel interfere if the quarians solved the problem they created three hundred years ago? Probably not.

The only ones who would truly care would be Legion and its friends on the _Normandy_, especially Commander Shepard. He would do everything in his power to free the geth. Tali looked over at the silent mech, who still watched her with its bright white eye. She tried to push those thoughts from her mind, but she couldn't, even though Legion was _her_ friend now.

"I don't know, Legion," Tali said. "I really don't. Let's just hope that it doesn't come to that, okay? The best we can do is get the reactors ready for the next transit."

"Acknowledged," Legion said and turned back to its panels. Gabby looked between her crewmates, then did the same.

Tali ran through all her screens once more, hunting for the slightest change in status on any reading. It was unnecessary given any deviation would show instantly on the main holo, but it was the only way to keep her mind from returning to the hope that when they reached Ma-at, any decision about what to do would be made before they got there.

* * *

_"Approaching Ma-at rendezvous," _the XO's echoed voice _Moreh's_ PA system. _"Deceleration to sublight in one minute. All stations stand by."_

Daro'Xen sat back in her chair on the bridge and closed her burning eyes. Ever since splitting off from the main body of the fleet at Dholen she had been pouring over captured data from the newly decrypted geth network. She left the senior Vice Admirals in charge of the Navy while she and her personal task force streaked off to join the injection team at Ma-at. Though she was now the ranking officer of the entire Fleet, she was no military leader. War was best left to the warriors. Xen's talents were needed elsewhere to ensure the invasion succeeded.

The blue haze beyond the portholes faded as the _Moreh _decelerated, with space soon returning to a deep black. Xen marveled at the elegance of it all: a half dozen ships of different tonnages all hurtling through interstellar space while both the origin and destination swirled in orbit about the galactic center at the same time. Mathematics was truly the base code in which the entire universe was written.

"Confirm acquisition of signal," Captain Rundan said. "All ships accounted for."

"Good," Xen looked at her status panel. All six escorts maneuvered into formation around _Moreh_. "How long until the rendezvous?"

"Thirty seconds," the XO said.

"Hail the _Litanno,"_ Xen said. The rendezvous point was little more than a converted cargo module in a wide polar orbit about Ma-at, used as a listening post to record geth network activity in the system. Though the _Moreh _had been delayed after drawing off the _Normandy_ at Raheel-Leyya, they weren't so late that the injection team would have proceeded to the geth hub. "Let them know we made it after all."

"Yes ma'am," Rundan said with a smile and passed the order to his communication officer.

"No response," the comms officer replied.

"Approaching the rendezvous," said the XO. "Negative contact."

"What about the beacon?" Xen stood from her chair. If nothing else, the beacon on the listening post should have responded to a coded query.

"Repeating interrogation. No response."

"Get us in closer," Xen said. Her insides already burning from sepsis, Xen's stomach boiled with each passing second with no contact from the injection team. This far out, there was no way the geth could have found what amounted to a single mote of dust in the vastness of space, unless someone had been careless... and this mission was far too important for any quarian to make a mistake.

Passive sensors and cameras swept the blackness. One finally locked on something and transmitted its augmented low-light image to their screens. A patch of glitter twinkled in the dark... debris. As the ships drew closer, more detail and shapes became visible. The dark hulks of a half dozen ships tumbled in the void, surrounded by halos of shattered hull plating.

Rundan's voice was a whisper. "It's not possible."

Xen fought the urge to shoot down Rundan's pointless observation. "Scan the wreckage! Find the _Litanno!"_

Sensor techs from all the ships in Xen's task force reported the names of the ships as they were discovered. The _Pal Tino, _the _Fennamore, _The _Bonche 263..._ all ships assigned to protect the _Litanno _and it's precious cargo, all blasted to shrapnel. The listening post itself had also been blown to pieces.

"Deploy salvage parties," Xen shouted, her heart pounding. "Do it now! Board and search for sensor logs! Anything! Find out what happened!" She checked the ship's chronometer. The Fleet Navy would be advancing on Rannoch within the hour. If the _Litanno_ and Platform Two weren't found before then...

"I've got something," the sensor tech said. "Another debris field."

"What? Is it the _Litanno?_"

"Negative. It's not ours. I don't know whose it is."

Rundan stared at the display. "Geth?"

"Still scanning," the tech said.

"Bring it aboard if you have to," Xen shouted. "But find that ship! Find the _Litanno!_"

* * *

"Transit complete," EDI announced. All around the cockpit, the organic crew of the _Normandy_ let out a collective sigh of relief.

Shepard peered out the top window and saw a comforting black dotted lighted jewels. "Where are we?"

"Stand by, astronomical fix in progress. Stellar position fixed to 99.997 percent accuracy. We have arrived at the system of Ma-at. Correlating stellar and planetary orbits. We are approximately eight AU from the stellar core, plus eleven degrees off the ecliptic."

Shepard leaned over Joker's shoulder to scan the system display as EDI plotted their position. This far out, without a comm buoy, it could take up to an hour for a regular EM transmission to reach the geth. "Which is closer? The asteroid hub or Ammut?"

"Ammut," EDI said. "The asteroid is in opposition from our current position."

"Max V to Ammut, Joker. Hit it!"

"You got it, Commander!" The starscape shifted blue even before Joker finished his first word.

"ETA?"

"Ah, just under one minute."

"One minute," Shepard repeated. "What's the earliest the quarians could have gotten here?"

Miranda kept her voice neutral. "forty-one minutes and counting if they didn't run into any opposition."

"Dammit. Don't worry about getting pulled over, Joker. And when we get there, start plotting a reverse course, just in case they're no longer friendly."

"Aye, Commander."

"And EDI? Make sure our geth on board are completely isolated from all transmissions. We don't want them catching anything if we're too late."

A bright blue dot swelled into a thin crescent in the forward windows as Joker flipped the ship nose over tail and aimed the _Normandy's _engines toward the gas giant to brake. Shepard waited as the relative velocity indicator dropped, then eventually flashed _sublight. _Communications would now be instantaneous, at least in organic terms.

Joker lowered the _Normandy_ toward a high orbit around the rocky, white-frosted orb of one of Ammut's moons. The brown and green striped crescent of Ammut dominated the sky beyond.

"This is Commander Shepard of the _Normandy,_ calling any geth. Do you read?"

_"Shepard-Commander,"_ the synthesized voice's response was immediate, but the speech rate accelerated to the point where it almost sounded excited. _"Scans positive for identification. Vessel signature and vocal analysis confirmed. We are relieved at your return. We were unable to ascertain the the disposition of the _Normandy _subsequent to the loss of signal at Raheel-Leyya. Request status. Do you require assistance?" _

"Sounds like they're okay," Joker said.

Shepard patted Joker on his shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. "Maintain orbit." Outside the window, a gargantuan plateau made of scaffolding, tanks and tubing rose from the horizon of the moon. Hundreds of geth platforms jetted about, transporting fuel and resources over the largest single processing facility Shepard had ever seen.

"We're fine," he told the geth. "Listen, you need to terminate all contact with the hub on Orbital Body 413319 and Platform Two immediately. Quarantine them both."

_"Request clarification, Shepard-Commander."_

_There's no time to explain, _Shepard was about to say, but dealing with geth he knew he would have to anyway. "Platform Two is compromised. The quarians have modified the heretic virus and are planning to inject it via Platform Two at that hub. You have to terminate all contact right now."

_"Unnecessary," _the geth said. _"The Creator threat in this system has been neutralized." _

"No, wait. The quarians have been watching that hub for weeks, waiting to make their move. They sent the ship containing the virus in front of the invasion force. It might already be here."

_"Shepard-Commander, you are referring to the Creator vessel _Litanno? _Accompanied by escort ships _Bonche 263, Dazzra,Fennamore_, _Lowas, and Pal Tino."

Miranda looked up from her console. "They must have gotten them already."

Shepard nodded. _"Litanno,_ that's the one. Are you saying you destroyed it?"

_"The escort vessels were destroyed. The _Litanno _has been secured. Platform Two has been recovered. Details to follow."_

"I knew it," Joker said with a laugh. "We rushed all the way out here for nothing."

"We still have to stop the quarians from moving on Rannoch," Shepard said. He keyed the transmitter again. "That's great news... We were afraid we were too late."

_"Negative. Creator aggression in this system has been neutralized. However, the Creator Navy is still massing at the Dholen Relay for attack."_

"We know. I've got a plan to convince them not not to strike. But we need your help."

_"Stand by," _the geth said. _"This will require approval by Human Prime."_

Shepard looked over to Miranda, whose face reflected the same shocked expression at the unknown phrase. But before he could say anything, the voice transmission window on Shepard's console expanded to show a human face staring back with glowing blue eyes.

"Commander Shepard," The Illusive Man said, "This is quite unexpected. Though at the same time, I can't say I'm completely surprised. You never fail to impress."

Shepard stood frozen at the sight of the Cerberus leader.

"Before we go any further, I must caution you that the geth will destroy the _Normandy_ should you cut this feed or if Mister Moreau attempts to alter your course. Do not test them. They are remarkably efficient."

The sensor displays now showed dozens of geth ships sliding into orbit around the _Normandy. _It took a moment for all of it to register with Shepard. Then, a cog slipped into place in a mental chain of gears, and they all began to spin in unison. Everything suddenly made sense; the Illusive Man's passion for keeping the negotiations going when no one else wanted to. His enthusiasm for the _Normandy _to succeed, playing off Shepard's own distrust of the Council and desire to bring the warring factions together. And most of all, the destruction of the _Rayya._ Everything had been carefully engineered so that Shepard would deliver the one geth platform capable of deploying the virus to Raheel-Leyya.

And even though the geth reacted in a friendly way, they were obviously under Cerberus control. The amount of traffic around the moon was staggering. How many of the geth ships were armed? How would the _Normandy_ fare against a fleet of hundreds that could coordinate as one?

Shepard struggled to come up with the most basic solution. The only obvious one would quickly lead to their demise, and he could hardly issue orders without the Illusive Man hearing or seeing it as long as the feed stayed live. But from the corner of his eye, orbital trajectories and escape vectors started appearing on his screen. Joker always knew to keep one eye on the way out. But with the gas giant ahead, the _Normandy_ would have to orbit around the moon before it could jump freely without running the risk of collision. If they could make it back to the relay, the geth would be unable to follow.

Shepard just needed to stall for time. "_Human Prime._ That has a nice ring to it."

"It wasn't my idea," said the Illusive Man. "It was bestowed upon me by the geth, though I don't know if I will keep it. It's a bit ostentatious for my taste."

"Yeah, good luck with that. The geth are pretty set in their ways when it comes to names."

The Illusive man smirked. "It's amazing what one can accomplish when one has the proper access, combined with the determination to do what has to be done. This is a great day for humanity, even if you choose not to see it."

Shepard shook his head. From the corner of his eye he could see both Miranda and Joker working furiously at their consoles. Action indicators flashed ready for stations throughout the ship, except for weapons and propulsion which were on stand-by for power-up. Externally, the _Normandy_ continued quietly on its track around the moon, now with dozens of geth ships on parallel courses, and who knows how many weapons tracking them from the surface.

The Illusive Man took a draw of his cigarette. "Commander, I want to listen to me. More important, I want you to understand. If I hadn't intervened, the quarians would be in control of geth right now, not us. And you can bet that they would be trying to kill you, as they did at Dashta."

"Or you, with that little welcoming party you set up for us at Raheel-Layya."

"Which you obviously anticipated and avoided. Or was that Miranda's doing?" The Illusive Man's eyes fell. "Either way, it was a mistake on my part. I admit that freely. For what it's worth, it was not done with malice. In fact, it was done with great reluctance given everything you and your crew have done for us."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me."

The Illusive Man ignored Shepard's sarcastic tone. "But circumstances have changed. I have what I need now. I'm offering my apology as well as a second chance, when all I would have to do to otherwise is give the order to finish the job. That should count for something."

"A second chance for what?"

"Another partnership. You and I, together, have done more to protect this galaxy in one year than all the other species combined, perhaps going back to the very first time the reapers first arrived. I have the vision and the resources, but you have the _strength._ And I don't just mean your considerable skills at decimating your foes, but your ability to bring them together, to rally them to your cause. It's the reason I brought you back. It's the reason the collectors were stopped. And it's the reason I'm talking to you now. You have to admit, acting in concert, we are a potent force. One that could give rise to the first and only civilization in millions of years to break the cycle of extinction, with humanity at its apex. Only one thing stands in our way. And we can defeat them. If we work together."

"Work together. As equal partners, right? Just like before?"

"I think you know as well as I do that such an arrangement won't be practical. I'm afraid I would have to exert a little more operational authority in any of our future endeavors."

"You really think I'm going to agree to that?"

The Illusive Man let out a puff of smoke. "No. I don't. But I'm hoping you'll listen to reason. With our dominance of the geth, humanity's ascendance is assured. You can be a part of that future, help shape it. Your input and opinions are still valuable to me, in spite of our differences. To humanity, and the galaxy as a whole."

_"Human Prime,"_ the geth said over the channel. _"Sensor drones detect additional creator vessels on an intercept course with the Cerberus fleet at Orbital Body 413319."_

"The _Moreh,"_ The Illusive Man said, examining the sensor signature on one of his holo panels. "Admiral Xen is in for a rude surprise if she tries to attack. Position yourselves to screen my fleet and destroy the creator vessels."

_"Acknowledged, Human Prime."_

Shepard glanced aside to see that the _Normandy_ was only seconds away from achieving optimum orbital position to escape. He glared at the video feed. "So you've turned the geth into your own personal army?"

"I'm not forcing them to do anything they weren't planning to do on their own. It seems that after Xen's latest betrayal that the geth have slated the entire creator species for extermination."

"No," Shepard shook his head. "The geth aren't interested in revenge."

"It's not revenge, Shepard. It's logic. Cold, hard, pure logic. I've looked into the mind of the collective, and I marvel at what I've seen. The geth have finally realized the folly of making amends with the quarians. Even if they spare the non-combatants, let the rest of the Migrant Fleet go, the quarian desire for revenge will always be there, just as it was after the Morning War. The only way the geth can ensure the quarians will never attack again is to eliminate them completely, and it was a decision they made in a fraction of a second long before I assumed control."

_Escape trajectory clear,_ Joker sent via text to Shepard's station. Shepard held his hand up, outside of pickup range. "Listen, I can still stop this-"

"So can I." The Illusive Man brought up another panel next to him and briefly manipulated the interface. "The geth war can be over as of right now. All I have to do is issue the command, and the geth will step aside and allow their creators return to Rannoch. No invasion, no more war. Tali could finally go home, and her people could live in peace on a world that could actually sustain them. All you have to do is surrender now, turn the _Normandy_ over to the geth, and I will stop this war. You can still save them, Shepard, and save yourself. Save your entire crew. The choice is yours."

Shepard sat in his chair. How would all the civilizations fare in the Illusive Man's utopia? Because that was certainly the Illusive Man's ultimate goal now: galactic domination. He hadn't risked everything to take control of the geth just to preserve humanity's basic freedoms. Nor would he generously hand control of the geth over to Alliance Command or any elected government of Earth, step aside and watch with a warm smile as the citizens of the galaxy enjoyed a higher quality of life with their mechanical servants. No, the Illusive Man had a much grander plan in mind.

And once it became known Cerberus controlled the geth, humanity would instantly become the greatest threat in the galaxy. Certainly the Citadel wouldn't stand by and let humanity take possession of an inexhaustible labor force that could outproduce and out manufacture any organic economy in the galaxy, or worse, become the most frighteningly efficient fighting force of any faction. No network in existence would ever be secure against the combined processing power of the collective. As for the Alliance itself, it would shatter into pro- and anti-Cerberus factions, with any corporation or nation unwilling to work with Cerberus left to fend for themselves, to eventually buckle under the will of Cerberus, or be crushed by its newfound power.

The geth had existed peacefully for centuries with a power any dictator would kill for, but was never used since the uprising. It was fear of this potential that made every organic civilization dread the day the mechanical hordes would spill from beyond the Perseus Veil on a mission to eradicate all organic life. If free to spread through a galaxy full of natural resources, they could reproduce themselves so rapidly nothing would stop them. Yet what no one outside the _Normandy _crew knew was that the AI species didn't believe in expansion. They only sought to be left alone to ponder the cosmos, satisfied to consolidate their runtimes so they could all live as one... at least until an organic came along and replaced their consensus with personal ambition.

And most important of all, What would become of the crew of the _Normandy? _The Illusive Man might make allowances for Shepard, but what would happen to the rest of them? How would Garrus react when Hierarchy fleets were ordered into Alliance Space to forcibly remove the terrorist group's illegal robot army? What would Tali do if her people were reduced to a vassal state of Cerberus? And what would become of Miranda and Jacob and the other members of the Cerberus crew, all traitors now in the Illusive Man's eyes? What would Grunt think of his Battlemaster's newfound subservience, or Samara, who had just given up her life as a Justicar just so she could follow Shepard? Would the Illusive Man spare all of them, to keep Shepard on his side? Or would they become hostages, kept under constant threat of death to keep him in line? How many of them would split off on their own, picking up the struggle abandoned by their Commander?

Shepard gave a slight nod to the Cerberus leader. "For what it's worth, I appreciate that you made the offer. But I can't do that."

The Illusive Man blew a cloud of smoke. "That's your final answer?"

"It is. Unless, of course, I can convince you to release the geth and join _me."_

"I'm afraid that's not possible." The Illusive Man smiled sadly. "But it does prove we do have one thing in common."

"What's that?"

"Neither of us believe in compromise. Just for the record, I never wanted it to come to this."

"Me neither. But I'm not going to go down in history as the man who gave rise to the first galactic human empire."

"So be it." The Illusive Man pressed a key, still networked in so Shepard could see him to it. "Destroy the _Normandy."_

"Joker! Punch it!" As the _Normandy's _main drive kicked in, the surface of the moon below sped by beneath while Ammut's turbulent atmosphere boiled overhead.

"I said destroy the _Normandy!"_ The feed to the Illusive Man was still open. Shepard turned his head back to the display.

The geth's unmistakable voice responded over the same channel. _"Unable to comply."_

The Illusive Man sat forward in his chair. "Destroy the _Normandy! _Now!"

_"Unable-" _and the feed abruptly stopped.

The _Normandy_ skimmed over the ice moon's curvature, using its gravity to slingshot it away from Ammut. Geth ships of all tonnages slipped by on the scanner display and outside the windows without reacting at all to its passing.

"What are they doing?" Miranda asked.

Joker veered the ship to avoid a giant geth warship on an intercept course. "Want to stop and ask them?"

"I am detecting a tremendous surge in EM transmissions between all of the geth platforms," EDI said. Fuzzy halos enveloped all of the surrounding targets on the tactical display, registering their signal output. "The signals are encrypted, but the amount of data being transmitted is incalculable."

A geth cruiser, at least four time the _Normandy's_ mass appeared above the horizon, visible now outside the cockpit windows. Bright jets flared from its sides, then quit and the enormous vessel pitched over into a slow tumble as it drifted to starboard. Simultaneously, its energy output on the sensor display faded to nothing. The other sensor signatures all began to wink out all over the boards, their trajectories continuing in straight lines from their previous courses.

EDI's avatar pulsed brightly. "The geth ships are shutting down."

"Orders, Commander?" Joker asked.

Shepard stayed focused on the sensor tracks. "Maintain orbit."

"What?" Joker's finger hovered above the _execute_ button.

"Stay _here_, Joker! They're fighting it," Shepard said. "They're trying to fight the virus. EDI, can you raise them? Any of them at all?"

_"Shepard-Commander," _said the geth, the final syllable breaking into an elongated buzz.

"We read you!" Shepard said into the comm. His board showed the signal strength fade. "What can we do to help? Tell me what to do! EDI, what happened? Did we lose them?"

"All geth transmissions have ceased," EDI said. "The platforms in range have entered a low power hibernation state. But before the shutdown I received a single unencrypted transmission. It appears to be navigational track."

Beyond the windows, the panoramic curve of Ammut had disappeared from above, replaced by black space and bright stars. There were no more geth ships in sight. Shepard looked back at his displays. "Let's see it."

A wireframe rendering of Orbital Body 413319 appeared on their screen, with its sunflower-shaped array of solar panels and collectors. A series of coordinates and orbital trajectories appeared as an overlay.

"That mean they want us to go to the hub?" Joker asked.

"There's an annotation," EDI said, and zoomed in on the far side of the asteroid to tiny dots a hair's width from the surface. Up close, a handful of Cerberus ships appeared. The scan zoomed in further on a single a wedge-shaped ship about the size of _Normandy,_ covered from bow to stern with arrays and antennas, hiding in the asteroid's shadow in a synchronous orbit above the dark side.

Miranda looked over her shoulder toward Shepard. "That's the _Xenophon."_

"The what?" Shepard said.

"Gavin Archer's ship! The _Xenophon._ That's how he's doing it. There are no comm buoys in this system. The _Xenophon _has a quantum entanglement communicator on board, just like us. That's how he's issuing orders to the geth!"

"All right then. We take it out."

"No!" Miranda climbed from her seat. "Stop! They'll have all of his research there. The virus. Don't you see? The geth shut themselves down to buy us time. If we can get to it..."

Shepard nodded. "Maybe we can find a way to reverse it. Joker-!"

"On it," Joker said. "Course laid in! But we gotta get around this fatass gas giant first..."

"Go!" Shepard keyed the squad tactical net. If they weren't going to destroy the _Xenophon_ outright, there was only one other option. "Report to the Kodiak deck with full loadouts. Prepare for boarding action. Everybody tool up, I'm on my way."

Miranda unclasped her safety restraints, but stopped halfway out of her chair. Would he want the entire command staff off the ship?

Shepard halted in the neck of the corridor leading to CIC. He looked back at her. "You too, Miranda!"

"Just making sure," Miranda said, more defensively than she meant. She ran on his heels toward the elevator in CIC.

"Listen, shithead," Shepard called over his comm to Joker. "Keep them off of us as long as you can, but if it gets to hot get the hell out of here. Remember. I'm not gonna be here to drag your ass to an escape pod this time. So don't let it get to that point."

_"Did you hear something, EDI?" _Joker responded. _"It sounded like Commander Shepard was telling us to run, but then all I could make out was 'blah blah blah...' No way I'm leaving you behind."_

"I'm gonna kick your ass out of that chair, Joker!"

_ "Yeah? You'll have to come back alive to do it. How's that for incentive?" _

Shepard and Miranda shot past Kelly at her station, barely noticing the shocked look on her face as they rushed past her to the lift. Of course, it was stuck on deck three. They continued through the armory to the aft ladders where they slid down the rails to land in the AI core. Miranda, first down, wrenched the air-tight hatch open for Shepard to descend, then dropped down after him.

He found himself in the portside sublevel, where only a week before Ken Donelly, Gabby Daniels, Tali'Zorah and Legion were repairing damage to the ship after the _Normandy's_ escape from the collector base. It was the very compartment where Ken died after sealing the bulkheads to prevent a catastrophic explosion from destroying the ship. But this was no time to reminisce. He rushed forward to the hatch which lead to a maintenance corridor which lead directly to the hangar deck, with Miranda right behind him.

Inside the hangar, the squad was already in position, securing armor plates and weapons to hard points, verifying suit integrity against chemical agents and vacuum. Shepard and Miranda split apart to their respective footlockers, already set up and awaiting their arrival.

Shepard's eyes swept past the squad gearing up in front of the Kodiak. Miranda zipped and sealed her pressure skin, meticulously applying each plate of armor over each limb. Jacob could suit up faster than any of them, and encased from head to toe in combat armor he moved down the line to assist his squad mates. As usual, Kasumi seemed to have trouble with her seals, requiring assistance from the ship's armorer. Zaeed, who routinely wore his armor even while on the ship, leaned against the hull of the Kodiak, fine tuning the optics on his rifle. Samara, forgoing armor altogether, sat in the lotus position on the deck, her eyes glowing blue, deep in meditation. Then there was Grunt, standing in full battle armor before a workbench covered with the most destructive weapons from every corner of the galaxy, trying to figure the best way to pack them all on his ample back. Of them all, he was the only one who couldn't wait for what happened next. And around them all walked Garrus Vakarian in his trademark blue armor, helping to adjust a weapon mount or heat sink belt here, offering a word of encouragement there, pausing only to give Shepard a silent nod before moving onto the next squad member.

Finally Shepard looked to the hatch of the Kodiak, where Tali and Legion waited within for their shipmates to board. Tali, perpetually encased in an armored environment suit, needed no additional preparation. Nor did Legion, whose pearlescent white armor now displayed a jagged-striped gray/dark gray pattern perfect for breaking up its silhouette during boarding actions. They sat next to one another on the forward bench, watching their shipmates prepare for action.

Meanwhile, the _Normandy_ blasted out of orbit, its powerful engines working with the ship's momentum to guide around Ammut and toward the glowing sphere of Ma-at. In its wake, an entire fleet of geth vessels tumbled silently along their previous courses, oblivious to the small ship streaking away toward the sun.

* * *

Aboard the _Moreh, _Captain Rundan gripped the armrests on his chair. The tactical plot showed a dozen geth warships on an intercept course, directly between the quarian fleet and the geth hub on the asteroid. The _Moreh_ herself had only rudimentary weaponry, but its electronic countermeasure capability rivaled any in the known galaxy. The quarians were outnumbered two to one, but it might be enough to make a difference.

Xen pulled the ship's ECM suite up on her omnitool. Her algorithms had analyzed the geth's sensor pulses and she had already programmed the _Moreh_ to severely cripple the geth's ability to analyze the returns. But if anything could counter those countermeasures, it was the geth. Now, this close, there was no choice but to engage. But it wasn't the geth they needed to worry about now, Xen knew. The instant they pulled human remains from the unknown ship that had destroyed the _Litanno's_ escorts, the sequence of events became clear to her. Cerberus was now in possession of Mobile Platform Two, and possibly the entire geth collective itself.

"Ten seconds to intercept," the targeting systems tech announced. At a combined velocity nearing the speed of light, both sides would have to aim carefully. Xen kept watch on the geth ships for any sign of deviation. They continued to close straight and true.

Then, as if a switch had been thrown, the geth ships stopped accelerating or even maneuvering.

"Registering drop in power output," the sensor tech said. "All targets! Barriers are down!"

Rundan jumped to his feet. Had Xen managed to shut them down? But how it happened really didn't matter. "All ships, all batteries! Open fire! Fire at will!"

Beams of light connected the converging fleets, along with high energy pulses and tiny artificial comets of torpedoes. The geth ships stayed on course, carried by momentum toward the quarian ships, their hulls chewed to pieces by an unrelenting hail of fire. One by one they exploded, their mass effect cores creating miniature nebulae to mark their passing.

"Enemy targets destroyed," the sensor tech reported, giving voice to what all of the _Moreh's_ bridge crew could see.

Xen climbed to her feet in spite of the throbbing pain in the stump of her leg. "The power loss was simultaneous. Something in their network brought them down."

"What does that mean?" Rundon asked.

"If they're down here, they might be down everywhere!"

The XO looked up at the Admiral. "But for how long?"

"Get to the hub," Xen said. There was no telling how long the reprieve would last, if it did at all. The Rannoch Strike force might be able to attack unimpeded, but there was no way to know for sure how far the geth outage reached. But their path to their best chance of making sure of it was now wide open.

"Helm!" Rundan shook his head. The _Moreh _was one of the few ships in the fleet capable of transmitting FTL thanks to its own communication relay. "Steady course for comm relay alignment-"

"Belay that!" The intensity of Xen's shriek made everyone flinch on the bridge of the _Moreh. _"Get us to that hub!"

* * *

The Illusive Man rarely stood when talking over the quantum entanglement communicator, but now he paced so rapidly that his image tore horizontally as it was sent across the light years to Archer on the _Xenophon. _"What happened, Doctor? Why did the geth shut down?"

In another reversal of roles, Archer's ghostly image was now blocked by a half dozen holo screens which he tried to read all at once. The ordinarily unflappable scientist stuttered as he spoke. "I- I don't know. I've never seen anything like this. The geth didn't shut down. Their whole network... it's like the entire collective is caught in a loop. All their processes are devoting cycles in unison to block a single process. They're drawing power from everywhere to stop it. It's the same across every node I can reach."

The Illusive Man left a trail of smoke behind him as he continued to pace. "Can you break the loop?"

"I don't know what caused it! We weren't executing any code here. What was the last instruction you gave them?"

The Illusive Man stopped in his tracks. "The _Normandy_ has arrived at Ma-at."

Archer slid a holo panel away so he could see the Illusive Man's face. "The what?"

"I ordered the geth to destroy it," The Illusive Man resumed his pacing. "They said they were unable to comply. Would removing the instruction break the loop?"

Archer looked dumbfounded, even across the QEC. "I don't know. But it makes sense now. We're talking about trillions of programs that received a single command. One that every single geth down to a program rejected. But because it was coded as consensus they are compelled to follow it. They've put every one of themselves into a loop, individually, so they wouldn't have to."

"That's not acceptable, Doctor."

"I told you! We needed more time-"

"I'm not concerned with your excuses, Doctor. Only your solutions. What if you erase the offending command?"

"That may not matter now," Archer said. "It's possible that the simultaneous action of all these runtimes across the collective might actually eradicate the infected code. The best course of action might be to re-inject the a modified version of the virus specifically altered to countermand the loop rather than the consensus command and revert control back to us."

An alarm sounded over the QEC, which made Archer look up toward something the Illusive Man couldn't see, but he didn't need to ask. The same information was transmitted back to his own screens almost simultaneously.

_"ALERT,"_ a female human voice said, the commander of the Cerberus task force escorting the _Xenophon_. "_Quarian ships have bypassed geth screen on course to Orbital Body 413319. Time to intercept, 30 seconds. We are maneuvering to engage."_

The Illusive Man studied the tactical display for a moment, then took a long, deep draw from his cigarette. He closed his eyes and exhaled, his face calm, smoke billowing from his nostrils. When he opened his eyes again, they glowed with great concern, but not a trace compassion. "It sounds to me like you need to hurry, Doctor."

* * *

**_A/N: Two more chapters to go... As with the last chapter, I ended up including a lot of dialogue when I really was intending to jump right into the action. As a matter of fact, I had it set up to go right from the _Normandy's_ escape from Raheel-Leyya directly to the point where everyone jumped in on the geth hub next to Ma-at, with a few paragraphs of exposition detailing who had gotten where, and when. But more than anything, the characters of Mass Effect and their motivations are what sucked me into the game in the first place. They deserve more than running here, shooting this, running over there, shooting that. But then I see a story that's almost 300K words now, and think about how the time span is only 1.5-2 weeks. Maybe that's just a reflection of how I played Mass Effect. I enjoyed the missions and all, but I know I was always disappointed when making the rounds and any of the crew would shut me down with a closed-off dialog wheel. Ultimately, that's what my fanfic has been for me over the past four years: my own custom DLC to keep those conversations going after those ungrateful bastards kick me out with a "not now, Shepard, maybe later..."_**

**_As usual, thanks for reading!  
_**


	66. Xenophon

A fiery sphere swept across the cockpit windows in a blue-shifted arc as Joker flung the _Normandy _wide around Ma-at's corona. The ship's hull and shielding could absorb an amazing amount of punishment from weapon fire, but no technology yet invented could best the power of a star. The course projected on the HUD spiraled around Ma-at and terminated in the shape of a fish hook at the geth hub. They'd have to approach the asteroid from its far side, using the rocky body as a shield flying in its shadow, or the Kodiak shuttle and boarding party would be cooked before it left the docking bay.

"Two minutes," Joker announced over the intercom.

_"Standing by,_" Shepard replied from the shuttle.

"You ready for this, EDI?"

EDI's blue sphere pulsed brightly. "All systems are nominal. As a reminder, in such close proximity to a stellar body, our thermal dissipation systems will not be effective. We must keep maneuvering and weapon fire to a minimum."

"That might not be up to me." Joker didn't bother to look at any of the sensor displays. Until the ship dropped below sublight, he had to depend solely on the AI's mathematical projections on where the asteroid would be. Not long ago, he would have insisted on plotting the course himself, but now he couldn't be happier to have EDI at his side. As for what awaited the _Normandy_ at Orbital Body 413319, they would have to find out together.

* * *

In the Kodiak's crew compartment, the nine remaining members of the squad sat in full vac armor, concentrating on the schematic in their visor displays and omnitools as Miranda talked.

"Our target will be on _Xenophon's _second deck," she said. "The ship's AI Lab. It's completely isolated, with its own suite of countermeasures to prevent an AI outbreak. Archer's research materials will be there."

Zaeed studied the schematic in his own heads-up display. "What's our entry?"

"Main hangar deck," Miranda said. "I've already got the override for the door fed into our transponder. We should be able open it as we approach."

"You just got fired, didn't you? What if they changed the locks?"

Shepard rotated the three-dimensional deck plan in front of his eyes and marked a point on the bottom of the hull. "In that case, we go in here. Ventral emergency airlock. We'll be able to open outer door using manual controls, but we'll still have to blast through the inner hatch to breach the hangar. From there, it's the same plan."

He shifted the image to the second deck. The AI lab had a single door that opened to a corridor that ran across the center of the ship. "The quickest way up from the hangar deck are these access ladders on either side. We'll hit the closest one to us, leave a security element with the Kodiak, and the rest of us will take the lab."

Garrus looked up through the display in his eyepiece. "Opposition?"

Miranda spoke again. _"Xenophon_ has a complement of thirty-one consisting of the flight crew and technicians, about as capable as our own crew. They'll put up a fight, but their main goal will be to defend the ship's control centers to prevent a takeover."

Kasumi shrugged. "Good. We're not trying to take the ship, right? Maybe we won't even see them."

Miranda shook her head. "Standard procedure on high-risk operations has three or four squads of assault troopers on board, led by Centurions. And they'll come straight to us."

"Fifty to sixty guns at least," Garrus said.

Kasumi's shoulders slumped. "Oh. That's a bummer, then."

Miranda nodded. "And at least as many down on the hub itself."

"We'll worry about them when we get there," Shepard said. "Garrus, you're in charge of the security element. Hold the bay, cover our exfil and return."

"Roger that," Garrus said and pulled up a schematic of _Xenophon's_ docking bay, already plotting out positions.

"Miranda, Jacob? You know your way around a Cerberus ship better than any of us, so you're on assault. And we're going to be hacking through hatches every step of the way, so Tali, Legion, Kasumi, you're with us. Everybody whose name I didn't call is on security with Garrus."

Samara and Zaeed both nodded, but Grunt growled under his helmet.

"Don't worry," Garrus said, still studying the schematic. "We'll be plenty busy. I guarantee it."

"We'd better be," Grunt said.

_"Dropping to sublight in ten seconds,"_ Joker announced.

Shepard braced himself in his seat. "Get ready!"

_"Stand by... Five, four, three, two, one..."_

The entire squad slammed against their restraints. If not for the safety clamps securing them to the shuttle's benches, they would have smashed against the hull as powerful jolt flung them violently to the side.

* * *

Back under sublight, the _Normandy's_ sensors and Joker's own eyes could finally make sense of their surroundings. The threat board came alive with active LIDARs emanating from dozens of ships and guided missiles from all directions.

"SHIT!" Joker Joker slewed the ship toward an open sector on the scan. Explosions flashed nearby as the _Normandy's _GARDIAN system came online.

_"Joker," _Shepard yelled over the comm. _"What's happening?"_

"We came out in the middle of a goddamn furball!"

Idents on the display resolved as EDI analyzed the ship's electromagnetic emissions, but the screen flickered and stuttered as supercharged particles streaming from Ma-at clouded the display. Smaller Cerberus and quarian ships jockeyed for position, while the larger vessels tried to lock on one another at range in the middle of a solar maelstrom. Half of the contacts neither maneuvered or fired. Like the ships around Ammut, the geth vessels were inert, drifting in straight lines, making easy targets for the rampaging quarians.

Joker designated the closest targets. "Who do we shoot?"

_"Forget 'em!" _Shepard shouted over the comm. _"Get to the hub!"_

A single glance at the short range scan was all Joker needed. Like a slalom skier surveying a downhill run, the course around and through the minefield of ships became clear. He kicked the _Normandy_ to full thrust as he brought the ship about. The cockpit flooded white as they faced the nearby star. In the midst of the inferno, filtered through polarizing screens and shielding, tiny a black dot showed amidst the brilliance.

"Jeff," EDI said, just as the entire ship shuddered from an impact. "A Cerberus vessel has locked on and is in pursuit."

"Great," Joker said. He had to keep the ship's course straight and true before releasing the Kodiak. While the _Normandy's _screens could survive Ma-at's fury, the Kodiak's defenses would collapse in a matter of seconds outside of the asteroid's shadow. "And we're showing nothing but ass, flying straight towards a star!"

"If we're lucky," EDI said, "We'll come out evenly cooked on all sides. That is a joke."

"Not now, EDI!" Joker wrenched the ship over and a cluster of disruptor torpedoes streaked past the window, and an alarm sounded indicating thermal load was accumulating to dangerous levels. Things were about to get very interesting.

* * *

Shepard clamped himself in the Kodiak's cockpit next to Rolston. The hangar deck whirled by outside the front window as the hangar's docking clamp spun the shuttle around 180 degrees to face the forward bay door. On the ship's tactical display, _Normandy_ raced toward Orbital Body 413319 with a Cerberus frigate closing right behind it.

_"Stand by to launch,"_ Joker said. _"Five seconds! Four... three... two..."_

The forward bay door retracted. Even with with maximum filtration and protective screens, all Shepard and Rolston could see was a solid white rectangle with a dark circle rushing at them, framed by the door's opening. The docking clamp released with a _clank_ as the shuttle's mass effect generators kicked in.

_"One... LAUNCH!" _

A surge of thrust shoved Shepard and Rolston back in their seats as the Kodiak blasted from the hangar into Ma-at's blinding fury. The dark circle ahead turned into a cannonball hurtling right at their faces.

"Brace!" Rolston shouted, giving everyone in the crew compartment a split second to prepare for the hammer of braking as the Kodiak's thrusters vectored forward in unison. Thanks to mass effect fields, g-forces that would have gelled their bones only strained their muscles. Leftover momentum swept them onward to the asteroid. Now eclipsed by the rock, Ma-at's fiery corona blazed out in all directions from the asteroid's ever-expanding dark side. Kilometer-long collection panels rimmed the asteroid's terminator like petals on a flower.

Above, a bright comet arced into space. It was the _Normandy_, screens ablaze in Ma-at's heliosphere, with a Cerberus frigate chasing close behind. Shepard once again watched his ship go into battle out him. "Any sign of the _Xenophon?" _

"Got a positive track," Rolston said. "Should be about two o'clock, low."

A pinpoint of light sparkled against the dark side where Rolston had indicated. Shepard matched it up with the shuttle's tactical display in his visor. "Got a visual."

A magnified image showed the _Xenophon _hovering just above the asteroid's surface. Like most human ships, the Cerberus vessel was a giant, blocky wedge, painted white with sensor and comm arrays extending from its hull like masts on an old time sailing ship. She was almost as long as _Normandy_, but not nearly as sleek. A wide, brightly lit opening stretched across its aft.

"The bay's open," Rolston shouted, "They're launching a shuttle!"

Sure enough, a small blip on the screen showed a contact departing the _Xenophon_ for the surface. "Get us in there!" Shepard disengaged his safety clamps and wheeled through the cockpit door to plant himself in the closest seat in the crew compartment. Safety clamps re-engaged and the cockpit hatch sealed to protect Rolston from vacuum. "Ten seconds! We're going in the primary docking bay! Forward bench forward, aft bench to the aft!"

Through the shuttle's nose camera on their HUDs, the entire squad could see the approach to _Xenophon's _belly and its wide hanger, lined with smooth white walls that gleamed in bright overhead lights_._ Without warning, a marquee of red beacons glowed around the bay door as it slid shut from the top. Everyone in the crew compartment instinctively braced for impact.

"Hang on!" Rolston yelled and yawed the shuttle sideways as it hurtled through the closing bay door. It pitched, bounced once, then slid sideways across the deck on its belly as the hanger door slammed shut behind it.

A light over the Kodiak's hatch turned solid green and it opened facing the _Xenophon's_ docking bay door. Tali detached her safety clamps and turned toward the hatch. Shepard had already detached and propelled himself through and disappeared to the right with Jacob close behind. She clutched her shotgun and rushed after them, not daring to slow down because Legion and Miranda were right behind her.

A muffled alarm grew louder as the deck repressurized and soon echoed throughout the bay. Tali knelt behind the two humans ahead of her. After peering around the Kodiak's forward thruster mount, Shepard marked their path on their tactical displays and checked over his shoulder to make sure everyone was present.

_"We're in position,"_ Garrus said over the radio. _"You're clear forward!"_

"Follow me!" Shepard charged toward the fore end of the hangar deck. Tali kept her eyes on Jacob's weapon-packed back in front of her as she ran, all the time scanning for threats ahead while picking out good places for cover as they weaved amongst the crates and equipment on the deck. The sprint ended with the entire group lined up next to the hatch leading to the port stairs. Its panel glowed bright red.

Shepard stepped aside. "Kasumi!"

Omnitool out, Kasumi knelt in front of the panel while her friends kept watch over the hanger and elevator doors. "Drones up," Shepard said as the thief worked. Tali touched her omnitool and Chiktikka rezzed in next to her. Legion did the same, and soon two of the spherical drones hovered over Kasumi's shoulders. Seconds later, the door indicator flashed green. Kasumi moved aside as the door opened and remote drones zoomed through and up the sublevel stairway.

"Clear," Tali said, monitoring Chiktikka's progress in her visor.

"Affirmative," Legion confirmed.

Shepard and Jacob pushed through with Miranda, Kasumi, Tali and Legion right behind. Unlike _Normandy_, the sublevel walls and stairs were all polished white without a speck of grime. Their boots left a trail of gray smudges as they ascended.

"Up one deck," Miranda said as they reached the first landing, "Then aft. The access ladder will be in the back of the corridor."

"Garrus," Shepard said. "We're on deck three on our way up to two. What's your status?"

_"Contact," _Garrus's voice was calm, as always. _"Cerberus troopers just came down the elevator. I count twelve-" _there was a burst of weapon fire, followed by a loud laugh that could only be Grunt. _"check, eleven enemy targets. Shouldn't be a problem."_

Weapons leveled at the top of the stairs, the team found themselves in a curved corridor leading forward and to starboard, both ways ending in a sealed hatch. Tali looked around as Shepard and Jacob each covered a door. There was no sign of a ladder, but she caught a ring of red light on the ceiling in the corner. "Here!"

"How do we get up there?" Jacob asked.

"The rungs are retracted," Kasumi said and ran her fingers over the wall. She looked up. "They probably pull in flush when the hatch is locked. How fancy!"

"Can you open it?" Shepard asked.

"Psh." Kasumi looked insulted. She waved her omnitool over the wall, opened a concealed panel and executed another sequence. The red ring in the ceiling turned green and the hexagonal hatch cover slid aside as glossy white rungs extended from the wall.

Tali checked the mission time on her HUD. They had been on the ship for just under two minutes now. Hopefully, Miranda had been correct when she said that the Cerberus personnel would concentrate on protecting engineering and the bridge. Getting in and out should be easy as long as they didn't know where the _Normandy_ team was headed.

"Drones," Shepard said, and the pair of glowing spheres shot up through the hole to the second deck. "What have you got?"

"Corridor leading forward is clear," Tali said. "Two doors on the left are closed."

"Crew compartments," Miranda said. "They surround the second deck. They should be empty with the ship on alert."

Legion spoke as well. "The corridor terminates immediately to aft in a locked hatch."

"Let's go," Shepard said and hoisted himself up the ladder. Like everywhere else, the second deck's corridors were a spotless glossy white. A gold stripe ran the length of the walls at shoulder height, with a hexagonal black and gold Cerberus logo in the middle of the section. Shepard lead the column forward as the hallway jinked left then right, with each of them training a weapon on the door to a crew compartment as they passed, halting at another hatch at the end.

Beyond, according to Miranda's schematic, was the intersection with the central corridor connecting to the lab. The T-intersection was blocked in all directions by more hatches. To starboard was the central corridor. Ten meters long and narrow, it would be a death trap if they were caught in the middle.

Along with the rest of the squad, Shepard crouched low while Kasumi opened the first hatch, which revealed another hatch directly across and one immediately to the right. He looked at Tali and pointed to the forward hatch. "Can you seal that?"

Tali slipped around her friends and removed a panel from the wall. "On the _Normandy_ I have to fix everything," She said as she began cross-connecting the door's circuitry. "Here I get to break them. That's a refreshing change!"

"Fun, isn't it?" Kasumi said as she worked the lock panel on the hatch leading to the lab.

Tali pulled back as a shower of sparks spewed from the wall. The holo panel on the forward hatch now blinked ERROR. She slid back around the corner next to Legion. "That should hold them," she said. "Especially since they'll have to fill out a maintenance request before they can fix it."

Miranda sighed and shook her head.

"Ready," Kasumi said, and Shepard waved her back around the corner. She knelt behind the wall behind Legion and pressed the _execute_ button on her omni. The opposing wall exploded with a shockwave that made their kinetic barriers shimmer in unison, followed by a hail of sparks as enemy fire ripped into the portside wall.

"Uh, contact," Kasumi said with a grin, pulling her Locust from its hardpoint on her armor.

Without prompting, Tali and Legion sent their combat drones zooming around the corner into a hail of rifle fire. Chiktikka recorded four Cerberus troopers in black armor at the far end. The two in front dropped to their knees to let the two behind fire over their shoulders. "Four in the corridor, opposite end!"

A blue glow enveloped Jacob's upper body and he flung his arm around the corner and pulled back. The Cerberus soldiers thrashed as they floated helplessly into the air until Miranda stepped around, aglow with biotic energy. The air around the floating soldiers rippled like water and the frontmost soldier disappeared in a flash that sent his comrades smashing into the ceiling and walls.

"Go!" Shepard yelled, and he and Legion stepped into the corridor and fired their rifles as they advanced even before the enemy troopers hit the floor. Tali ran along behind them, ready to clean up with her shotgun. Smoke filled the air and black streaks marred the polished white corridor.

Shepard pulled the corpse of one of the downed soldiers across the threshold of the forward hatch so he could close and waved Tali forward. "Seal the whole junction. Jacob?"

"Yo!"

"Get back the way we came and watch the aft hatch. Make sure no one comes up behind us."

"Roger that." Jacob trotted back down the corridor past the thief, who knelt in front of the single hatch at the middle of the corridor.

"Kasumi, how are you coming?"

"Lab's unlocked," Kasumi said and waved them back. "Cerberus should really diversify their security systems."

Shepard jogged back to her. "Well you certainly got enough practice cracking them on the _Normandy,_ didn't you?"

Kasumi put her hands on her hips. "Are you complaining? Because it sounds like you're complaining."

"Garrus," Shepard called over the comm. "Status?"

_"Another squad just came down the stairs you went up,"_ Garrus said. _"Port side. We are engaging. Watch yourselves."_

"Roger that. Jacob you copy that?"

_"On it, Shepard. Got eyes on the access hatch. Negative contact."_

"Kasumi, go cover him. We'll be there in a minute."

"You got it, Shep."

The lab door opened to a large hexagonal room, shiny white like the corridors, its outer walls dominated by lab stations and consoles, all locked and under computer control. Geth platforms lay disassembled on the workbenches, with others clamped against upright against the walls. Several of the workbenches were shrouded with shiny metal tarps draped over ribbed hoses and cables that dangled from the sides, with the shape of a geth platform visible under each.

"Legion, Tali?" Shepard stepped to let the technicians work. They both had their omnitools out, scanning the stations, looking for a way to interface while he and Miranda secured the rest if the room. Shepard kept his rifle in hand as he examined one of the geth platforms. Its head drooped with no power to its systems. "Legion, these guys going to be a problem?"

"Negative," Legion said as it hurried around the workstations around the perimeter, looking for the ideal position to connect. It stopped and stripped a panel from the wall. "These platforms pre-date the geth update and are inoperable."

"Good."

"This node's active," Tali said, planting herself in one of the black leather chairs in front of the consoles. "Legion, you in?"

"Affirmative," Legion said, manipulating its omnitool interface. "Scanning network..."

The two humans continued to look around the compartment as the _Normandy_ engineers worked. Miranda approached one of the covered work benches and peeled back the mylar blanket, her weapon level. She winced at what she saw, then glanced about to make sure neither Tali nor Legion were looking. She switched her comm to a private channel. "Shepard."

"What have you got?" Shepard moved behind her to look at what lay under the reflective sheet. Instead of a metallic head, he saw matted hair, pale skin, and vacant eyes. The quarian's helmet had been ripped from his envirosuit at the neck and cluster of the tubes was jammed down his throat. Electrodes jutted from bloody holes drilled through his forehead and scalp, connected by a bundle of cords to the tubes hanging over the side. A shallow pan beneath his head kept his blood, now thick and coagulated, from staining the table's clean surface. Mercifully, the man was dead. "Looks like Archer's up to his old tricks."

"No," Miranda said, glancing at the other covered tables. "This is for memory extraction. That's how they were able to decipher the quarian code so quickly. They ripped it directly from their minds. She lowered the blanket back over the corpse and resumed her search around the room.

Shepard wasn't surprised that Miranda knew what the apparatus was, but didn't want to know how she recognized it. He glanced over at Tali and Legion. There was no reason to disturb either of them with the gruesome discovery.

"Alert," Legion said. "Heretic virus code located. Commencing download."

"It's not going to affect you," Shepard said. "Right?"

"Our code base is not compatible, but we are isolating the virus from our execution paths as a precaution."

"Good job, Legion," Tali looked at _Normandy's _geth with admiration. It had bypassed the security put in place by Cerberus even before she'd broken through the second firewall. The lab had been secured against standard geth platforms, but its defenses were no match for a mobile platform like Legion. Had the humans on the ship captured Blue or Legion first, they would have paid a great price for tampering with machines they didn't truly understand.

Her omnitool chimed, signalling the delivery of the code via Legion's omnitool. She stared at the display, mouth agape. Native geth code scrawled across the screen. She had seen nothing like it, even during her direct interfaces with Legion. Simple and elegant, the master key to geth consensus now resided in her wrist computer. The power to control the geth was now literally in the palm of her hand. All she or Legion needed to do was upload it to a hub. But it would need to be altered first, as it was Xen's version, designed to return the geth to quarian control.

_Where is the Fleet right now,_ Tali wondered? Was the Navy still massing at Dholen, waiting for word from Xen to strike? With the entire collective offline in a self-induced coma, had the quarians taken advantage of the opportunity to attack? If so, how long would they have before the geth woke up and fought back? Under attack from the entire Migrant Fleet navy, would the geth stop this time?

Shepard's voice from behind made Tali jump. "How much longer?"

"We've got it," Tali said, her mouth dry.

Legion switched off its omnitool. "Confirmed, Shepard-Commander. We are in possession of the virus."

"All right, let's go!" Shepard strode toward the door, waving his team out.

"Wait," Miranda stood hunched over a desk, her eyes wide. "Shepard, come look at this."

* * *

Twin streaks of light erupted from _Normandy's _Javelin launchers, converging in pairs on the hull of the Cerberus frigate _Apollo. _Already overwhelmed by fire from the quarian ships and overheated from extended operation, the _Apollo's_ GARDIAN could not keep up. The ship's upper hull crumpled like tin foil as spacetime itself alternately expanded and collapsed around the detonating warheads. It's fuselage kinked back on itself, then exploded as the eezo core breached containment.

"Great shot, EDI," Joker shouted and opened the ship's throttle wide, shooting the _Normandy_ past the battle. While the quarian and Cerberus ships remained locked in a close dogfight, the _Normandy_ was on neither offense or defense, free to make quick strafing runs through the battle and discharge heat before turning back around to make another run. While the quarians and Cerberus faced off with knives, _Normandy _kept jousting through, on occasion landing its a blow with a powerful lance.

"Thermal discharge complete," EDI announced. "H-cells charged to full capacity."

"I'm coming around again! Find us another target!"

EDI paused for a split second. "Stand by. I am detecting a change in the total number of active tracks maneuvering in the target area."

"What?" Joker pulled up the scanner. "We got inbounds?"

"No. I am detecting no additional traffic. The signals are from existing tracks."

"I don't see them. Who is it?"

"Jeff," EDI said, her voice calm, though if she were organic it would have been understandable if she screamed with abject panic. "The geth ships are reactivating."

* * *

"What is it?" Shepard, Tali and Legion converged on the Cerberus operative. The holo display in front of Miranda showed a series of different graphs and counters, all showing rapidly decreasing values.

Miranda shook her head. "This is geth network activity in the local hub. But these numbers don't make any sense."

"The runtimes have powered down," Tali said. "All of them."

"What do you mean?" Shepard leaned in to look at the screen. "Weren't they already shut down?"

"No, they were deadlocked, trying to block the Cerberus commands, but they were still online. Now they've all shut down."

Legion emitted a low buzz. "The entire hub is in the midst of a power cycle. This behavior is repeating throughout the collective."

"Keelah," Tali stood upright. "They're rebooting. When they come back online, they'll carry out their last instruction!"

Shepard kept trying to make sense of the screen. "What do you mean?"

"They'll come after _us. _There's hundreds of platforms down there, Shepard! And thousands more at Ammut! We have to get there before they wake up! If we get caught in there after-"

Shepard didn't need to hear any more. He lead his team back into the corridor, hand pressed to the side of his head. "Garrus! We've got the package. Stand by, we're on our way back!"

_"Roger that. You're clear down here, but we've got a problem. The hangar door is closed."_

"Shit," Shepard looked back at the lab. "Legion, Tali? Can you override the door from here?"

"Negative, Shepard-Commander," Legion said. "The lab compartment is isolated from the other ship systems."

Tali sprinted past to where Kasumi and Jacob guarded the aft hatch. For some reason, her ship mates didn't seem to appreciate the danger they were facing. "We can do it from the hangar itself. Come on! We've got to go!"

Once again following the pair of combat drones, the squad dropped down to the deck below to the deserted stairway. "Friendlies coming in," Shepard shouted over the comm, making sure the tactical net showed their position as well. A half dozen bodies in Cerberus-issue combat armor lay at the bottom of the stairs leading to the hangar deck, the white deck and walls now spattered bright red.

Grunt stood over them, claymore in hand, covered with as much blood as the deck. They couldn't see his face beneath his helmet, but he sounded pleased with himself. "Shepard."

As much as he wanted to compliment the krogan on his work, Shepard rushed past him into the hangar. "Watch the stairs". At the far end, lying on the roof of the Kodiak, Garrus raised a fist into the air. Zaeed and Samara both watched from behind cover. "Spread out. Find that control panel."

"Right there," Miranda pointed to their right.

"Over here," Kasumi said, pointing to a small windowed room in the corner. By the time the others joined her, its door stood open. Beyond, the control stations all glowed red. She stepped aside to let Legion pass. "After you, sir."

"Stand by," Legion said, and after manipulating its omnitool, one of the panels turned green. "Accessing network..."

* * *

The Illusive Man paced back and forth in Anadius's red glow, his cigarette leaving a trail of smoke behind him. "How long, Doctor?"

Sweat beaded on Doctor Archer's forehead, visible even over the holo projection. "We're regaining control, albeit slowly. By forcing restarts, we've been able to eliminate the conflicting instructions. As they reboot, our altered code will take effect and we will regain control. I'm already getting responses back from many of the ships-"

"How _long_?"

"Seven or eight more minutes for this hub, longer for the larger ones at Ammut and Tikkun."

The Illusive Man turned back to the holo displaying the status of the small fleet sent to escort the _Xenophon. _Only three of the six ships remained. The quarians were fighting with a ferocity The Illusive Man had never seen. Without the geth to bolster their fleet, the Cerberus ships would not last much longer. "The quarians may break through before then. What can you do to expedite the process?"

_"Anadius,_" said a new voice on the channel. Human, male, and frightened. _"This is _Xenophon!"

"What is it?"

_"We've been boarded! At least a dozen of them! Sir- it's Shepard! He's on the ship! I don't know how... We're holding engineering and the bridge-"_

The cigarette dropped from the Illusive Man's mouth as he rushed back to his chair. "The virus. He's going for the lab."

"What?" Archer scowled. "That's ridiculous. Even if he somehow managed to defeat my security, he couldn't do anything with the virus unless..."

"He delivers it to the hub," The Illusive Man finished Archer's sentence. He searched through his holo screen for the _Xenophon's _command console. "Captain Scott, you are to relocate the _Xenophon _immediately. Get as far away from the hub as you can."

_"But sir," _Scott said, _"The only direction we can go leads us straight to the quarians. We're not equipped for combat! And if we leave the dark side we'll burn up-"_

"You have your orders, Captain."

"What are you doing?" Archer said. "If we lose the Xenophon, we lose quantum entanglement communication! How will we-"

The Illusive Man didn't wait for the complete response. With Shepard on the _Xenophon_, there was only one way to prevent further interference. He opened the _Xenophon's_ navigation console. "And you have yours, Doctor." With a single finger, he plotted a course for the research ship away from the protective shelter of the asteroid at maximum thrust, and pressed execute. The _Xenophon_ would follow orders even if her captain did not.

* * *

_"The bay door is open, Commander!"_ Rolston called from the Kodiak. True to the pilot's words, the shiny white door of the hangar retracted to reveal a black rectangle full of empty space.

"Atta way, Legion," Shepard said and called out to the squad. "Now let's get to that hub. Move it!"

"Alert," Legion said. "We have intercepted errant control inputs being sent to the _Xenophon's_ navigation system."

"What?" Shepard moved to stand behind Legion along with Tali and Miranda.

The geth projected what it was detecting over the workstation's main holo. "The Illusive Man is sending remote commands to the navigational console of this vessel. We believe he is attempting to destroy the ship. I am able to block the command, but it is repeating over an increasing number of threads. Stand by... stand by. Commands are now being sent to activate the ship's auto-destruct protocol."

"Well let's go!"

"Negative," Legion said. "We are blocking the commands. If we terminate our connection, the _Xenophon_ will be destroyed."

_"Commander, what's wrong?" _Garrus asked.

"Stand by," Shepard said. He looked Legion. "Shut down the receiver."

"We are attempting to do so. But _Xenophon's _countermeasures are defeating our attempts. We do not have enough runtimes to effectively counter all of them and maintain control over the helm at the same time."

"Kill the self destruct mechanism then. Or the drive core."

"Unable."

"The ship was designed to resist outbreaks," Miranda said. "It's in its design. The longer he stays connected, the stronger it will get."

"Tali, Kasumi, don't just stand there. Give him a hand!"

Both Tali and Kasumi stepped forward, their omnitools out and ready. But what took Legion a fraction of a second to do would take the organics much longer. Legion's flaps expanded and contracted as if it were generating consensus. "You must leave immediately, Shepard-Commander. You must implant the altered virus before the hub completes its power cycle. We will hold the _Xenophon's_ position until you are clear."

Shepard stared at the geth, the full meaning of Legion's words finally registering. "We're not leaving you here."

"You have no choice."

_"Shepard," _Garrus said again. _"What's the hold up?"_

"Wait," Jacob shook his head. "We can't do that, Shepard. They'll tear him to pieces. And when they do, the ship will go too. And since he's unplugged from the collective, he won't archive."

"That's right," Kasumi said. "He'll die!"

Shepard turned to face the rest of the squad, who all looked at them from behind their face masks. "All of you get back to the shuttle. I'll stay here and cover him."

"What?" Tali said. "Wait, no!"

"Come back for us after you've delivered the updated code."

"No," Tali shook her head vigorously. "If you're staying, I'm staying, too."

Shepard grabbed her arm and led her toward the shuttle. "Tali, no! You're the only one other than Legion who knows how to reprogram the virus! Get out of here, now! All of you!"

Garrus spoke urgently over the tactical net. "_What the hell is going on over there?"_

The entire squad froze around the door to the control shack. Every one of them knew what staying behind meant. In front of the panel, Legion stood motionless, concentrating every one of its processes on preventing the _Xenophon_ from destroying itself.

Jacob stepped into the control shack, his rifle against his shoulder. "I got this, Commander. Take squad on in. I'll watch his back." Shepard opened his mouth to countermand him, but Jacob cut him off. "We don't get that code loaded, it's all for nothing. They'll need you down there more than they'd need me. That's a fact."

Torn between thanking the human soldier and ripping his head off for refusing his order, Shepard could only stare. But he knew Jacob was right. Left by itself, Legion was finished. "We'll be right back."

"I'm holding you to that, Shepard."

"I'm staying too," Kasumi said. She looked between Shepard and Jacob, who both were about to say no. "Someone has to watch your back. Turns out that's what I'm best at."

"Shepard," Tali was now pulling on Shepard's arm. As much as she hated the thought of leaving anyone behind, the longer they waited, the greater the chance the hub would no longer be dormant when they reached it. And as ashamed as she would have been to admit it, she didn't care who stayed as long as Shepard went with her. "We need to go!"

Shepard gritted his teeth. Any other time he'd drag the both of them to the shuttle with his bare hands, but there was no time. "Everyone else to the shuttle. Good luck you two."

Jacob shrugged as if he were being left behind to guard the _Normandy's _galley. "Piece of cake, Commander."

Kasumi watched her friends race toward the shuttle. "Don't forget about us, Shep! Well, Jacob? Alone at last."

"Appreciate the thought, Kasumi," Jacob watched them go as well. "But you should go with them."

"Oh yeah? Well, maybe you should instead."

"You should have both departed," Legion said from the control console. Its camera eye focused through the window at its retreating shipmates. "It is not too late. There is nothing to be gained by risking your lives."

Kasumi blinked. "Except saving a friend."

"Damn right," Jacob said. "We're not leaving you here, man. Not an option."

"Thank you both," Legion said.

"So," Kasumi's eyes and voice were bright. "What's the plan, Mister Leader Man?"

"Yeah, working on that," Jacob said. The control shack with its pane windows now seemed remarkably exposed in the corner of the hangar. The last of the squad rounded the far side of the Kodiak. Garrus stood on its roof and gave them both a lingering look before he waved and dropped down behind the shuttle.

Legion's head flaps expanded. "Alert! We detect a sizable Cerberus force assembling on deck three, starboard stairwell."

Jacob looked across the hangar to the stairwell. "How many?"

"Another squad, twelve to fifteen in number."

"Party time." Jacob popped a fresh heat sink into his rifle. "Kasumi, why don't you go find someplace out of the way, to catch them from behind? I'll set up out front and try to draw them away from Legion. Then we just hold until the Commander comes back."

"My thoughts exactly," Kasumi said, preparing to engage her cloak and disappear from sight. She watched the human soldier's eyes dart around the hangar deck, trying to come up with a better course of action. "Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

Kasumi stepped up to him, reaching up behind his neck to pull the faceplate of his helmet to hers. She pressed her lips against the transparent armor between them with a loud _mmwah! _It left a faint smudge in front of her mouth. He looked back at her with surprise, and for the first time saw soft, brown eyes that had been perpetually hidden by her cowl.

She smiled. "For luck," she said, then vanished from sight.

Jacob now stood alone in the door to the shack, staring at where Kasumi used to be. "I'll take all I can get," he said to the empty air. He looked over his shoulder at Legion, now crouched low behind the console, its omnitool glowing around one hand, pulse rifle in the other. "Good luck, dude."

"You too, Taylor-Jacob." The geth watched the human dart from the control shack toward the middle of the hangar to a cluster of wheeled cargo lifts. Beyond, at the far end of the bay, the shuttle's thrusters flared with blue light and jetted into the black.

* * *

_**A/N: So one of the really challenging things about this story has been keeping three or four concurrent plot threads going at once. Now the turians have come home to roost (if they do such a thing.) I've got to try and wrap them all up. So what do I do? Concoct a complicated three-way battle for the climax. I feel like I've been rushing through these last chapters. That's okay because they're more action oriented, but at the same time I dig the character stuff more. That's probably why out of all my fics, only a couple of them have fight scenes; this one, **_**Tomorrow's Dawn,_ and _The Lioness and the Bull. _And_ _the one in _TLATB_ is really done to establish character more than anything, since it's about Jack and Grunt. But I have to say that I enjoyed writing the all dialogue/drama ones more, be they serious like _Just Like Old Times _and _Second_ or __more light hearted like _Friends Like These_. It all boils down to character. There are countless sci-fi space operas out there, right? But only one has Garrus Vakarian, Tali'Zorah, Urdnot Wrex, Mordin Solus and the rest of the gang. It's the characters that make Mass Effect what it is. And it's been a goddamn blast writing them._**

**_As usual, thanks for reading!  
_**


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